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Stefan Sagmeister Re-visited
BY
TAXI
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TAXI Given your vast experience, what kind of environment do you think graphic design flourishes best in?
Stefan Sagmeister I only have a very obvious answer: Design florishes in a public environment. I became a designer because the fact that our output becomes part of the life of people seemed very appealing to me.
TAXI What is the most important thing to you as a designer?
Stefan Sagmeister I am still mostly concerned with design that has the ability to touch the viewers heart. We see so much professionally done and well executed graphic design around us, beautifully illustrated and masterfully photographed, nevertheless, almost all of it leaves me (and I suspect many other viewers) cold. There is just so much fluff: Well produced, tongue in cheek, pretty, fluff.
Nothing that moves you, nothing to think about, some is informing, but still all fluff. Our goal is to touch somebody's heart with design (so hard to do though).
TAXI It has come to a point where almost everyone who's interested in graphic design is looking to you to see what you're going to do next. How does that affect you, if at all?
Stefan Sagmeister I don't believe that statement at all (this is not modesty, I just truly utterly don't think this to be the reality). So, therefore it does not affect me.
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TAXI More importantly, how do you manage the weight and burden of such sky-high expectations?
Stefan Sagmeister I very much try not to design for other designers, (design for designers turns out to fairly boring) but for the audience I am talking to with a particular project. That audience has no such expectations.
TAXI I'm quite sure you've mastered the fine art of thin-slicing through project offers. How do you decide if an assignment is going to be something good?
Stefan Sagmeister Like everybody else: Is the content interesting? Is there a reason for this product/service to exist? Are the people involved nice people? Do I want to spend some significant time with them? Is there a proper deadline and a proper budget?
TAXI Have there been instances when you got tired and just wanted to give up trying to touch/move someone since it's so hard? What do you do to keep yourself inspired then?
Stefan Sagmeister Sure, I get tired and am lazy. And I have given up on projects. I have done mediocre work. And after a couple of those, I get so antsy that the energy comes back.
Stefan Sagmeister I very much try not to design for other designers, (design for designers turns out to fairly boring) but for the audience I am talking to with a particular project. That audience has no such expectations.
TAXI I'm quite sure you've mastered the fine art of thin-slicing through project offers. How do you decide if an assignment is going to be something good?
Stefan Sagmeister Like everybody else: Is the content interesting? Is there a reason for this product/service to exist? Are the people involved nice people? Do I want to spend some significant time with them? Is there a proper deadline and a proper budget?
TAXI Have there been instances when you got tired and just wanted to give up trying to touch/move someone since it's so hard? What do you do to keep yourself inspired then?
Stefan Sagmeister Sure, I get tired and am lazy. And I have given up on projects. I have done mediocre work. And after a couple of those, I get so antsy that the energy comes back.
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TAXI How different is the Stefan Sagmeister from 10 years ago than from the current one?
Stefan Sagmeister 10 years ago the sign: Style = fart was still hanging in the studio. Then my thinking was that style is unimportant and just hot air: Experience proved otherwise: I discovered that stylistic and formal questions do play an important role when communicating any content.
I still don't favor pieces that rely on style as their main means of communication (in the same way I don't enjoy talking to well dressed stupid people).
Also, 10 years ago we concentrated on design for the music industry. Considering music does not play the same role in my life now as it did then, (as well as there being so many other fantastic fields to explore) I changed the direction of the studio to reflect this change: We are now spending 25% of our time designing for the art world, 25% of the science world, 25% for social causes and the final 25% regular corporate design.
TAXI You seem so fearless in your undertakings and are constantly push in the boundaries of acceptability. Surely there must be some fear and considerations after you complete a deeply satisfying but disturbing project?
Stefan Sagmeister I am a scaredy cat, just like many other people. I am never fearless. The few times that I do have guts I have to talk myself into it.
Stefan Sagmeister 10 years ago the sign: Style = fart was still hanging in the studio. Then my thinking was that style is unimportant and just hot air: Experience proved otherwise: I discovered that stylistic and formal questions do play an important role when communicating any content.
I still don't favor pieces that rely on style as their main means of communication (in the same way I don't enjoy talking to well dressed stupid people).
Also, 10 years ago we concentrated on design for the music industry. Considering music does not play the same role in my life now as it did then, (as well as there being so many other fantastic fields to explore) I changed the direction of the studio to reflect this change: We are now spending 25% of our time designing for the art world, 25% of the science world, 25% for social causes and the final 25% regular corporate design.
TAXI You seem so fearless in your undertakings and are constantly push in the boundaries of acceptability. Surely there must be some fear and considerations after you complete a deeply satisfying but disturbing project?
Stefan Sagmeister I am a scaredy cat, just like many other people. I am never fearless. The few times that I do have guts I have to talk myself into it.
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TAXI Do you feel you've earned the respect that you wanted?
Stefan Sagmeister I have gotten a lot of respect over the years, if I have earned it is not for me to judge.
TAXI Lastly, how do you feel about being perceived as a design superstar?
Stefan Sagmeister 1: My favorite fame-in-design quote comes from Chip Kidd ("famous designer is like a famous electrician"). In my opinion, electricians and designers enjoy the most desirable kind of fame, because they are to a large extent in charge of it. When famous electricians decide to visit electricians conferences, there will be pads on their backs and egos will be stroked, but outside of these conferences they will be able to go anywhere without intrusions.
2: I have worked with numerous actual stars, famous clients whose fame -up close - did not look like much fun at all: If you walk into a Starbucks with Lou Reed, the whole place goes quiet. People turn around. They whisper.
TAXI Which WORD do you think would reside and reverberate in the design world for the next 10 years?
Stefan Sagmeister Ointment.
Stefan Sagmeister I have gotten a lot of respect over the years, if I have earned it is not for me to judge.
TAXI Lastly, how do you feel about being perceived as a design superstar?
Stefan Sagmeister 1: My favorite fame-in-design quote comes from Chip Kidd ("famous designer is like a famous electrician"). In my opinion, electricians and designers enjoy the most desirable kind of fame, because they are to a large extent in charge of it. When famous electricians decide to visit electricians conferences, there will be pads on their backs and egos will be stroked, but outside of these conferences they will be able to go anywhere without intrusions.
2: I have worked with numerous actual stars, famous clients whose fame -up close - did not look like much fun at all: If you walk into a Starbucks with Lou Reed, the whole place goes quiet. People turn around. They whisper.
TAXI Which WORD do you think would reside and reverberate in the design world for the next 10 years?
Stefan Sagmeister Ointment.