Adriana Parcero

World Cup Germany 2006

This is the third year in a row that I went to San Francisco during the summer to attend a play on Mt. Tamalpais. At the top of the mountain there is an amphiteather with a gorgeous view of the bay area, the whole experience is lovely. The plays are nicely put together, but I have to confess that I go because of the “experience” rather than the play itself. I love the fact that I gather with a group of friends every year to hike for about three hours prior to the play, once we reach the top of the mountain we find a nice spot in the shade, and while we watch the play we share food and wine. This year it was different, the main reason: World cup season, which happens every four years.  So instead of the play “experience”, I rather picked the couch “experience”.

I grew up in a country where futbol soccer is very important, it is more than a sport, it is a social activity. Although I don’t currently follow mexican tournaments, I played futbol during junior high and high school, and I do enjoy watching it on T.V., and certainly at the stadium. So this is a very special month for me, and the other millions of futbol fans in the world.

This year the World Cup has been as exciting as always, good futbol unexpected results, and expected ones… The World Cup has also been surprising from a design perspective, I thought that because Germany is hosting the tournament,  the visual communication would’ve been great. My big surprise is that the graphic & media design are completely unexpressive, and non-appealing… trying too hard to communicate happiness… and at the end it is pretty sad to see how not only a futbol (3 times world cup winner ‘54, ‘74 and ‘90) but also a graphic design power house, has missed an excellent opportunity for good design. I found an interesting article by Spiekermann: “world cup design Just Embarrasing”. Interesting facts: Brazil 5 times world cup winner ‘58, ‘62 ‘70, ‘94 & ‘02, Italy 4 times world cup winner ‘34, ‘38, ‘82 and NOW ‘06, Uruguay ‘30 & ‘50, Argentina ‘78 & ‘86, France ‘98 & England ‘66.

2 comments June 25th, 2006

Memorial day week-end

After a very long drive I met some friends at Mission beach in San Diego. I’ve been there before with my father and remember a strong breeze, cold water, seaweed along the beach and a few people, like some beaches in southern california. On sunday it was radically different: An MTV special recording guys surfing a big fake wave, music, food, alcohol and people. I’ve never seen as many tattoos as I saw that afternoon. Adornment, voice, self expression, status, choice, trends, sentiment of belonging, those where my initial thoughts. It was truly a sea of images communicating on different levels, some of them whispering, others screaming, and some where barely visible in suggestive body locations, all of them evoking a different story. 37% of the U.S.A. population between the ages of 18 and 32 have a tatoo somewhere in their bodies. “I believe in people, I believe in places, I do not believe in symbols, icons or images”, a coworker mentioned in a business dinner last month. His comment made me think a lot about the meaning of images and the value we give to them based on our own knowledge, literacy, culture and values.

I do believe in people, in ideas, in our power to give places and images the possibility to inspire, move and initiate change.

June 3rd, 2006