Werte und Kitsch
Eine theoretisch-gestalterische Untersuchung zu Macht, Design und Menschlichkeit
Description
Kitsch is often dismissed as tasteless, sentimental or superficial — even though it can enable emotion, participation and accessibility. The bachelor’s thesis ‘Werte und Kitsch’ examines this discrepancy and reveals the extent to which social norms and power structures contribute to this devaluation. It analyses the actual effects, content and qualities of kitsch. Based on this, a collection of five communicative objects and a manifesto is created, reinterpreting kitsch as a political expression.
The thesis understands design as a social tool: not only for problem-solving, but as a means of reflection, questioning and making visible. It shows that design is effective when it allows for emotionality, promotes diversity — and actively challenges outdated ways of thinking instead of perpetuating them.