Читать книгу Becoming a Graphic and Digital Designer - Heller Steven - Страница 9

Much has been written over the years about Stefan Sagmeister, the Austrian-born, New York–based graphic designer and international speaker. His promotional antics have earned him lots of attention, too. He worked for Tibor Kalman at M&Co., a conceptual studio, and then moved into advertising in Hong Kong, and currently, after having a small solo studio, he has a partnership with a former employee, Jessica Walsh, “because she was uncommonly talented.” He is known for unconventional work that balances function and aesthetics – and for taking a sabbatical every seven years, leaving work to his colleagues so that he can pursue new ideas.

SVA Poster

Art Director: Stefan Sagmeister, Jessica Walsh

Designer: Stefan Sagmeister, Jessica Walsh, Santiago Carrasquilla

Photographer: Henry Leutwyler

Creative Retoucher: Erik Johansson

You began seven-year cycles interrupted by year-long sabbaticals. Aside from being a civilized way to do business, what has been your goal?

As with many big decisions in my life, there were several reasons: One was to fight routine and boredom, but there was a second one, more complex. I had the insight that I could come up with different kinds of projects when given a different time frame to spend on them. I also expected it would be joyful. What I did not expect was that these sabbaticals would change the trajectory of the studio, and I did not dare to imagine that they would be financially successful. But they were.

You've done some juicy promotions through the years, including baring yourself for the world to see. What motivates this? What do you hope the result to be?

I had opened the studio with a card showing me naked. That card turned out to be highly functional. Not only did our then only client love it (he had put it up in his office with a note saying, “the only risk is to avoid risk”) but it also attracted more clients who were likely of a more adventurous nature. The card that announced the partnership between Jessica Walsh and me was intended as a little joke on that opening card and turned out to have worked just as well: Everybody anywhere seems to know about that partnership (and that card).

As studios go, yours is very modest. In fact, you don't have a conference room for clients. What is your rationale?

I always wanted to keep our overhead small so we could luxuriate in the luxury of choosing our jobs on merit. This satisfied us more than luxurious offices.

The Happy Show

Creative Direction: Stefan Sagmeister

Art Direction & Design: Jessica Walsh

Design: Verena Michelitsch, Jordan Amer, Simon Egli, Martin Gnadt, Santiago Carrasquilla, Esther Li

When I was visiting your studio, I saw your partner, Jessica Walsh, and six or so other workers. What do they do? And do they do their own work, or only your work?

When you visited, we were at our busiest; unusually, we had three interns working at the same time. Among the designers who work for us, usually every job is owned by an individual and everybody else chips in.

What qualities do you look for when you hire or chose an intern?

Good ideas well executed.

You are known for unpredictability. What is it that you haven't tried that you'd like to do?

I have found that it is not so helpful to talk about things I have not tried yet, as the act of talking about it removes some of my desire to actually do them.