Terror and Courage in Memphis
I’m sitting in the Admiral’s Club at DFW on my way home from the AIGA Make Think Conference. While spending time with friends is the best part of a conference to me, Command X was a highlight. Similar in structure to Project Runway, Command X works this way: seven contestants are assigned a project, such as redesigning the Cap’n Crunch cereal for adults. They present their solutions and four judges ask questions and make comments. Two contestants are retired on each episode, leading to the final winner. This year, I took the “Tim Gunn” role, interviewing and mentoring the designers in their work area. I did this because Tim and I have the same hair color. Each morning at 8am I met the contestants in their work area and we filmed an update. We then rushed the footage up to the main stage to be presented to the audience during the morning sessions.
Last season's Command X winner, Nichelle Narcisi works here at AdamsMorioka. I asked her about the experience before coming to Memphis, and she downplayed it. But this is hard. I don’t have the courage to do what these young designers did. They took on a challenge, produced a solution in 24 hours, presented it to a daunting group of legendary designers (Host, Michael Bierut, judges: Bonnie Siegler, Chip Kidd, Paul Sahre, and several guest judges), in front of 1500 designers, and then defended the finished project. Oddly, they had little problem doing this. I was more nervous for them, than they were themselves. The solutions worked, and sometimes they failed. But, this was less important than the overriding emotion in the audience: awe and respect for these incredibly brave young designers.
The final challenge, to design a piece for civil rights, created three unique and successful solutions. Monina Velarde left the stage as the winner after receiving a standing ovation. I watched from the wings as they announced the decision, and tried to give all of them a measure of support when it was all over. I asked them if they were OK, and glad it was finished. They all said they were too exhausted to feel anything, but I’m pretty sure the odd gaze on their face was shell shock.
It is easy to minimize this as a funny reality show, but these seven designers threw themselves to the mercy of the judges, the audience, and the blogosphere. It is far easier to stay in the shadows and never risk public criticism. Few people have the courage to stand in front of the moving train of public opinion. Nevertheless, finalists Alison Yard Medland, Monina Velarde, and Ryan Fitzgibbon collectively said it best backstage just before heading out for the final decision, “Someone out there might be inspired, or feel a little better about their work.” Damn those kids and their remarkable nature.
Ryan Fitzgibbon, San Francisco, CA
Alison Yard Medland, Silver Spring, MD
Many thanks to Alissa Walker at www.withgelatobaby.com and www.160over90.com for some of these images
