Existential Progress Bars
Swedish graphic designer Viktor Hertz calls it a “quick and silly little side-project,” but it’s rather ingenious. We’ve all had to suffer through those progress bars that creep along slowly as we upload or download stuff on our computers — followed by an OK or cancel button. His series “Works in Progress Bar” takes those utilitarian graphic designs and turns them into existential questions.
I swear, this progress bar looks less than half full to me — not sure what that means.
Squares of an artisanal milk chocolate bar become graphic elements. If all progress bars resembled chocolate, I’d be more patient watching them load.
Speaking of patience — clever, this one is. Use the force, I would click.
The entire 1982 song “Should I Stay Or Should I Go” by The Clash gets summed up in this progress bar, with bonus restroom icons of men and women.
Hertz knows the value of a good graphic design. On his siteSociety6, he sells the Works in Progress Bars ast-shirts,tote bags, and iPhone cases among other items. Although I wish he would sell his designs to Apple and Microsoft. It would make the citizens of cyberspace a lot less irritable.
Our coverage reaches millions each week, but only a small fraction of listeners contribute to sustain our program. We still need 224 more people to donate $100 or $10/monthly to unlock our $67,000 match. Will you help us get there today?