HAVE WE MET BEFORE?James Killinger
Consider this curious conundrum of human behavior: while we hunt for novelty, we take solace in the familiar. Even in a culture so hungry for The Next Big Thing, psychologists have uncovered a surprisingly deep bias for the familiar. This particular penchant is illustrated by the enduring appeal of archetypes. Archetypes have existed in our cultural narratives for milenia and, thanks to the industrial revolution, we have had over 150 years to manufacture a landscape of designed archetypes.
Have We Met Before? investigates the stubborn charm of archetypes and our contradictory enthusiasm for innovation. The result is a series of design explorations that exploit, subvert, or challenge basic assumptions of what a product is and what it could be.
James Ian Killinger was born and raised in the American midwest and attended Iowa State University. While earning separate bachelor's degrees in art and psychology, he held various positions as a Staples sales associate, personal gardener, teaching assistant, woodshop technician, and painter of fire hydrants. After graduating in 2008, James spent a year acquiring more life experience as a jeweler's apprentice, a flooring salesman, an unemployed boyfriend, and a mortgage office temp. Inspired by his diverse background and zeal for design, James' work has won awards and international attention. He feels privileged to live in New York City and be doing what he loves to do everyday.
Advisor: Andrew Schloss
