www.breakingcanvas.com (City: Amersfoort)

OFFF SPEAKER 2013

Tell us about your blog and how you got started.

It started with an idea to give inspiration to others. A blog that represents quality > quantity, where the focus lays on something new and different every day instead of the same articles yousee on a lot of other creative blogs.
It’s also some sort of an hard drive for the things that inspire me: OtherFocus helps me to store them, network with other artists and brings me up to date with the design community. It gives a lot back.

Tell us about the day to day of running a blog.

Well actually it’s pretty quiet right now because I’ve designed a completely new layout which is now getting developed and we’re waiting till it’s done.
But normally I just post something what comes up in my mind and what inspires me.
OtherFocus isn’t a blog where contributors are forced to submit articles to every day, like I said: we represent quality over quantity.
We post articles about whatever inspires us when we want to.

Can you tell us what inspired you to become a designer?

When I was young, around the age of 8, I wanted to become a ‚creative inventor’.
Little did I know that it’s actually called a ‚designer’.
I drew the Nike logo over and over again because I loved the shape of it so much (while others were playing with barbies for example. I had zero interest in that.)
All I wanted to do was drawing and making models out of paper.
I guess you can say that the inspiration came when I was a child, pretty much like everyone.
Instead of letting the creative part go when I grew older, I’ve hold on to it.

What is the most challenging and rewarding part of being a designer?

The most challenging part is probably to please myself. I’m a perfectionist and I aim for high results.
I strive for things.
The rewarding part is the moment you’ve finished something and made something out of nothing.
You’re responsible of giving the artwork a ‚life’.
On top of that you’re making beautiful things for others to look at.
It’s a lovely job and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.

What speakers are you excited to see present at the OFFF festival?

Serial cut, Jessica Walsh, From Form, Pat Perry, Mcbess, Plenty and Sougwen.
I’m excited to see them speak about their passion and their artistic journey.

What artists have inspired you recently?

Musician like Bonobo and his new album most definitely.
I love instrumental music, it helps me to focus and sets up the mood to design something great.

What inspired your OFFF + ShowUsYourType poster?

I’ve always wanted to do a calligraphy blackletter artwork.
I have this rule for myself that I always try to make something new.
I’m challenging myself to make each artwork better and different.
Showing others work that they haven’t seen of me before. Calligraphy is something I want to do more often.
When I think of OFFF and Barcelona two years ago when I was also a speaker, I remember the nice weather.
So I wanted this typographic artwork to have this summer happy feeling.

Since a year I’m making custom typography. It gives a satisfying feeling to know that you’ve made everything yourself without the help of 3rd parties (like stock images).
I’m also a big fan of fellow Dutch artist Niels Shoe Meulman, he’s outstanding with calligraphy and his work is a great example of how beautiful it can be.

What city would you like to see ShowUsYourType explore next?

Hmm why not The Netherlands? I would love to see some Dutch design influences like a geometrician and minimal approach. I think it could be a nice challenge.

How would you like to see your work evolve in the next 10 years?

I have no clue! Maybe having my own agency? My skills evolve every day to be honest because I’m challenging myself to come up with something new all the time.
I never stand still. I’m curious how my work would look like in 10 years and who I’ve become, lets keep it a surprise!

http://pinterest.com/brightnite/ (City: Istanbul)

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I grew up in Istanbul, Turkey and moved to the US to go to college in 1996. I majored in illustration at Rhode Island School of Design.
I now work at R/GA in New York as an associate creative director, and co-run a production company called Rote Productions, which focuses on experimental music, graphic works, photography, video and installations.
I also paint, draw, take photos, and do graphic design on the side.

What was the inspiration behind your Istanbul cover?

The photo I used is of young women whom Adnan Oktar (a well-known Turkish religious figure and Muslim creationist) employs as presenters at his satellite TV channel A9. These women all have had extensive plastic surgery, wear sexy and revealing clothes on TV, and express how devout Muslims they are as frequently as possible. I wanted to not only draw attention to the absurdity of Adnan Hoca’s beliefs and work, but also to the overall state of the Muslim faith in Turkey. As the current religious government slowly transforms the republic from staunchly secular to devoutly Muslim, we are seeing the effects of the clash of these two forces more and more in many different forms within the Turkish culture.

For those who want to know more, here are some links:

http://newhumanist.org.uk/2131/sex-flies-and-videotape-the-secret-lives-of-harun-yahya 

http://www.harunyahya.com/

http://www.dazeddigital.com/blog/article/15089/1/turkeys-anti-evolutionist-showgirls

http://www.haber61.net/adnan-hocanin-kizlari-1762g.html

more

Could you tell us your point of view of Istanbul?

Istanbul’s history is so rich and goes so far back that the city ended up making many new archeological discoveries just by digging to build new subway stations. Many civilizations have passed through the city, not least of which is the Ottoman Empire that preceded The Republic of Turkey as we know it now. It also has a relatively new but thriving design, art and music scene that is starting to find its own voice, but also becoming hip and commoditized in the process.
However, during the 18 years I spent in Istanbul, I was not at all interested in its history, its people, its architecture or its culture. Only after I left did I develop a fascination with the city’s past and its rather complicated present and future.
I see Istanbul as a place that I will never fully understand. It seems impossible to traverse the boundaries that separate the lives, cultures, and classes within the diverse population of the city, as there’s practically no dialog between the different groups.

For the designers who have never been there, do you have any points of inspiration they can research?

I would start by researching the Ottoman Empire.
Some good online resources are:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topkap%C4%B1_Palace

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolmabahçe_Palace

 http://www.metmuseum.org/search-results?ft=ottoman&pg=1&cat=All+Results

You should also check out Ara Guler’s photographs of Istanbul:

http://www.lensculture.com/guler.html

http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult_VPage&VBID=2K1HZOU1Q2HZ7#/SearchResult_VPage&VBID=2K1HZOU1QWXOP

Do you have any favorite designers from Turkey?

mental KLINIK

http://www.benguele.com (City: Rio de Janeiro)

Tell us a little bit about yourself

I graduated from UFRJ in Brazil 8 years ago, majoring in graphic design. Since graduating I have worked at a variety of agencies but as of September this year I am now working as a freelancer. My work has always been influenced by the everyday urban lifestyle of artist’s and the city’s young experimental language.

What was the origin or inspiration behind the name Benguele?

The nickname came from a study conducted at one of my first jobs. The designer Kenzo Mayama was developing the identity of a movie called Benguelê and as a result of the many jokes we made the nickname became attached to me.

How do you define your graphic style?

I like to say that I am focused on experimental designs that achieve results. I believe it is important to push the mediocre to evolve but never forgetting that the end result needs to communicate a message whilst being artistic.

What inspired your Rio de Janeiro poster?

This work was inspired entirely on the sensuality of the Carioca people, the natural beauty of the town, and especially the beach and the people in a relaxed way of living life.

Tell us a little bit about Rio De Janeiro

Living in Rio de Janeiro is a privilege. It is the combination of a natural paradise with an urban center that combines various cultures and attracts different people.

Do you have any favorite designers from Brazil?

I’m a fan of the work of many designers in Brazil, it’s impossible to name just one. I love the work of Rejane Dal Bello, Gui Borchert, Kenzo Mayama, Adhemas Baptist, Simone Lagares, Daniel Kusaka and Atila Meireles amongst others.

Do you have any favorite typefaces at the moment?

I’ve always been impressed by manual printers and vernacular typography. I’m not attached to any specific typeface such a Helvetica, I prefer to find the right type that suits each individual project. I believe typography works as a counterpoint to balance the layout. For example, if I have a fun or experimental layout I prefer to use a serious typeface and viceversa.

What type of projects do you like to work on?

I enjoy challenging projects. Integrated communication interests me also, but my favorite type of work consists of culture challenges. For example, I would love to design a cover of an LP, even though I have designed CD covers I believe the challenge is different due to the larger surface and the first impact the first viewing needs to have.

What city would you to see explored by ShowUsYourType?

I would like to see more countries explored on the African continent. I like the graphic diversity.

Check out Benguele great work here. Thanks Benguele!

http://www.29arabicletters.com (City: Beirut)

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am a designer that sees Arabic letters as individuals and tries to understand their characters. A researcher analyzing socio-political typographic writings and design elements. An educator of Arabic typography, history and culture. Respect nature in all it’s form and find beauty and peace within it.

What is the meaning and inspiration behind your Beirut poster?

For the past few months, Beirut has been experiencing a large amount of road-cut demonstrations. Black smoke and red fire rise from the burning tire wheels to block Beirut and spread fear and panic through the Lebanese citizens. Burning tires and blocking roads became a trend for the lebanese to voice out their concerns and worries. Not a week passes by without a new political reason, being influenced from Lebanese or Syrian politics and is translated into burning blocked roads making the normal life style of Beirut’s transform into huge traffic jam, creating stress or chaos and fear. Beirut is burning realistically and mentally.
The poster shows “Beirut / بيروت ” word written in Arabic based on the road map of Beirut. Small read dots and swirling red lines represent the road cuts and burning tires. Beside the “Beirut / بيروت” word, the words “is burning with tire wheels / تحرقها الدواليب ” is hand drawn. The sea is colored red and a pattern of wheels cover it.

Tell us about your design studio, 29 Arabic Letters.

At the moment it is still a one man studio, developing contemporary Arabic fonts and typography for a wide array of design applications. I have created contemporary Arabic fonts for leading Middle Eastern Newspapers (Emarat Al Youm, AlWatan & Al Rouiah), urban places (Ibn Battuta Mall, Madinat Jumeirah, Abu Dhabi Airport Terminal 3, Abu Dhabi Embassy in USA), art events & magazines (ContempArabia & Alef Magazine), software (Droid from Google) and several other companies. In the near future it is going to be growing into an Arabic Type Foundry publishing new fonts and creating a platform for young Arabic type designers. Arabic typographic design projects and publications are also created beside the specialized Arabic type work.

We would love to know a little bit more also about the Khatt Foundation?

I have participated in several Arabic typographic projects with the Khatt Foundation like Typographic Matchmaking project, Typographic Matchmaking in The City project and several Arabic type design and typography workshops in Amsterdam, Dubai, Doha and Beirut. I would have to say that in all of these projects and workshops, I have gained an immense amount of experience from the collaboration with the other designers involved in the projects and from the unique and experimental design process and the design challenge.
I think the best way to describe The Khatt Foundation is to refer to their homepage introduction text on their website:
The Khatt Foundation, Center for Arabic Typography is a cultural foundation and design research center dedicated to advancing design and typography in the Middle East, North Africa and their diaspora, and to building cross-cultural creative networks. What we do: design research, design residencies, experimental projects, cross-cultural networks, collaboration, knowledge exchange, knowledge production, social engagement, public space, agency, methodology, workshops, conferences, exhibitions, tools, books, publications, products, objects, words, texts, languages, letters, type, heritage, visual culture, innovation.

If you were to chose the next city for ShowUsYourType, which would you chose?

Any of the cities from the Arab spring, like Tunis, Tripoli, Damascus…

Thanks Pascal! Check out more of his awesome work here