Convergence isn't just about hardware anymore. Beginning Thursday in New Orleans, the buzzword takes on a more human spin when 2,200 new- and old-media pundits and practitioners gather for the American Institute of Graphic Arts' Seventh National Design Conference.
Founded in 1914, the American Institute of Graphic Arts has become the country's largest organization for graphic designers. This week the group will reach into the next century with a series of panels on the confluence of digital and print media. To deconstruct the heady rubric, "Jambalaya: The Design of Culture Meets the Culture of Design," the institute has assembled a who's who of honchos from the worlds of anthropology to zines (with Microsoft, MIT, and Apple thrown in for good measure).
"We wanted to imbed the discussion of new technology within a much more rich and diverse framework," says program director Joyce Abrams.
The institute isn't alone in this ambition, of course. High-minded, high-tech mega-salons are all the rage these days. In the past few months, many of the same DIY futurists have been roaming the cocktail hours at TED and, if they're really savvy, The New Yorker's "Future" bash at Disney World.
So if it's just a sign of the times when a group of graphic artists gets together to discuss ephemeral topics like "Handwriting in the Electronic Era" and "Personal Identity in Cyberspace." But the real question may be, "Do any of them really care?"
"I think graphic artists are still pretty concerned about the disappearance of print," says Brian Bougin, the head of the Art Gallery of Ontario's New Media Center, who will be on the panel "Museums in the Digital Age." "There's still a very strong conviction to sustain a certain level of history in their own industry," Bougin says. "But that, I think, is going to be pointless; resistance is futile."
If the American Institute of Graphic Arts has its way, attendees won't be able to resist the bells and whistles of the Apple-sponsored Media Gras, the conference's designated Technology Center. For the first few days, attendees will get a crash course in Web-site design and theory from panelists including wunderkind art directors at Razorfish and @Home. But it's Mac's show, so these panels will merely be the opening act for "The Main Event: The Future of Apple Computer."
That heavy dose of soothsaying is left to Brian Maggi, Apple marketing manager for creative and entertainment. But Maggi cautions that his presentation "won't be nearly as earth-shattering as anything Steve Jobs would say. We just want to solidify the relationship we have with this audience and come out feeling that they have faith in us still."
Not to fret, there's at least one believer coming to the show. "I know Apple cares about the creative community," says Linda Stone, director of Microsoft's Virtual World who will be appear on the "Virtual Visual Identities" panel. Microsoft, she says, shares the same message for the convention as Apple. "Technology is a big part of where growth in graphic design business has gone," she says. "It just can't be ignored."
