Design and neoliberalism in Colombia approaches from furniture to everyday life (1980-2000)

Resumen

Colombia, a country shaped by influences and resistances. A particular territory struggling the imposed ‘globalization' principles. Colombia seems exhausted, running an endless chase as a consequence of rushed and radical decisions, taken during the late 80’s and early 90’s by the Colombian State. Being part of an open economy model wasn’t planned, the proposal of stages that could meet in a transitional way with the global political obligations, were missing. The globalization process proposes steadiness and uniformity, resulting in a transcultural phenomenon that affects social structures, where the disciplines of design and its artifacts had a homogeneous outcome, deteriorating the particular cultural diversity of each place. This article's purpose, is to consider the aspects carried by globalization process, having direct influence on Colombian material culture consolidation. Objects and artifacts, understood as a meaningful cultural outcome, manifest a set of differential concepts based on the local diversity, projected to be maximized with the insertion of design disciplines to the Colombian context. Material culture is a complex configuration of the physical world. It is experienced in public and private spaces, material world shapes everyday life, therefore the idea that objects, like furniture, carry a series of relations that can deceive particular ways of thinking, is the research interest. These characteristic features, are the construction of local dynamics enhanced with the passing of time, possibly experienced using products emerged in everyday life. In that aspect design, as a cultural agency responsible of the development of products and projects, is a component of local manifestations, it should help the consolidation of a stable identity through time. Then, it is pertinent to review the contributions made by design disciplines in the construction and divulgation of material culture in Colombia.