DADA: DUBA

When I was about 10+ years old I would draw block letters and enjoyed making posters for school and sport events. The block type was whimsical and often in as many colors and patterns in the counters as possible. When I would deconstruct what I normally saw as a word or a single letterform new meanings and new shapes presented themselves. This gave way to a form of personal expression for me and one that developed into my design career today. It is in the unexpected resolution of a word or fun play with basic graphic forms that stimulates a designer’s mind.

When I recently saw Paul Rand’s DADA DADA poster again, I had to do a double take on the letters because I thought I saw my last name DUBA! My mind had jumped on the connection of those 4 similar letters and planted the poster idea (see below>>). My 10 year old self helped unearth what it is that represents the business I call “Duba Design”. The crossover of art and design is in the process of making—and this has shaped me as a designer artist and not exclusively a graphic designer.

Paul Rand has always been an inspiration for me because of his free-style paired with communications. My mentor Woody Pirtle, AIGA medalist/Pentagram Emeritus, was also inspired by his work and inspired me the same. I’ll write more about early influences and how they inform a creative life and career.

What is? Dada was a cultural movement and also represented a break-away from traditional art aesthetics as well as meaning. When I think about the process of design Dadism is this. The process is about deconstructing what is, to discover something new. Whether be more beautiful, more functional and absolutely more communicative. Some artists, especially that work with found objects and collage have a similar process with breaking down meaning and sometimes tradition to reveal new ideas from the recycled to start dialogue about the world around us. The crossover of art and design is in the process of making — and this has shaped me as a designer artist and not exclusively a graphic designer. Dada was a movement that originated in Switzerland and spread across Europe and into the United States although it was considered an anti-movement in a way.