What Would Yeezy Do: The Six Failures of Kanye West

Tamar Shafrir is a writer and researcher in the extended field of design. She lives in the Netherlands, was born in Israel and raised near Washington D.C. Tamar is currently a guest teacher at the MA Design in the Department of Design and Architecture
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Kanye West has become a highly polarising figure in contemporary culture—perhaps the defining avatar of our collective discord. On one hand, he is known as an unparalleled creative visionary across music composition and production, fashion, and performance; on the other hand, he is unpredictable and often offensive (though sometimes admired) in using public forums to state controversial opinions and critique or support political figures from George Bush to Donald Trump. Although public opinion about Kanye may be at a nadir at the present moment, he offers a model for designers about positive modes of failure that reflect on the agency of the creative individual in a time of moral, technological, and aesthetic ambiguity.

The lecture is a part of Gestagangur in November
In November the Department of Design and Architecture (Icelandic University of the Arts) welcomes you to Gestagangur Talks, a series of talks given by visiting teachers and lecturers, taking place in the lecture hall A in Þverholt 11. Each talk begins at 12:15.

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Gestagangur Talks are meant provide insights into practice and research currently taking place within the field of design and architecture, both locally and internationally. Visiting lecturers come from various backgrounds, highlighting the versatility and diversity of contemporary design and architecture. All lecturers are visiting teachers or part-time teachers at the department as well as being leading professionals in their respective fields.

The lecture will be in English and is open for everyone!