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Talk

Against Nostalgia: New ways to look at design history

Elizabeth Goodspeed

May 26, 1:15 - 2:00 PM

Vancouver Playhouse

Schedule

Right now, the future of design is looking a lot like the past.

Historic reference is everywhere in contemporary visual culture, from throwback rebrands to the resurgence of Y2K aesthetics and an obsession with all things “analog”. But as the past becomes common ground, how can designers avoid reproducing the same visual ideas over and over? Join Elizabeth as she looks at how designers can move beyond trend-driven references toward a more specific and intentional engagement with visual history. Drawing from her work across branding, publishing and writing, she explores how attention to context, tools and labour, rather than aesthetic style alone, can lead to clearer and more resonant design decisions. By framing archival research as an active practice rather than a stopgap, she offers ways for history-curious designers to sharpen their eye and make work that feels grounded in the past without defaulting to nostalgia.

Speaker

  • Elizabeth Goodspeed

    Designer, Writer & Educator
    Headshot Elizabeth Goodspeed
    • Design History
    • Education
    • Journalism/Writing

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