We did the first interview ever for Typeradio in 2004 with graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister. Now five years later we look back and ask him what changed in those last couple of years. Did he acquire new rituals in the meantime?
We talk about his second sabbatical year in Bali. And just six weeks after coming back to New York, we discuss the impact of the crisis and elections in the United States. He talks to us about if whether he likes the fame, how to handle it and the advantages along with it. We also look forward and talk about future projects and how he’s not quite sure yet if he would like to be remembered… Recorded at the Integrated 2009 conference in Antwerp, Belgium.

Sagmeister studio

Designmuseum bio

‘Things I Have Learned In My Life So Far’ website

Stefan Sagmeister at TED

Stefan Sagmeister talk at AIGA 2009

In this second part of the interview with Will Brown and Douglas Haddow of Adbusters magazine we talk about the actual achievements of Adbusters. Trying to inspire people to think differently and live more independently. Is it a lost cause? We also talk about the hate mail they receive, aswell about the followers of Adbusters. For instance the article ‘Hipsters: The Dead End of Western Civilization’, that caused a huge fuss a few years ago. Recorded at the Integrated 2009 conference in Antwerp, Belgium.

Adbusters Facebook

Adbusters Youtube

Hipster article

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Adbusters magazine is a nonprofit, reader supported magazine which concerns itself with the erosion of our physical and cultural environments by commercial forces.
We talk to Will Brown and Douglas Haddow, Art Director and Creative Consultant at Adbusters magazine. We ask them how they got involved with Adbusters in the first place and what they exactly do and contribute to the magazine. The past 20 years Adbusters are constantly fighting for the voice of independent media in legal battles. The endgoal is to reform broadcast law. Recorded at the Integrated 2009 conference in Antwerp, Belgium.

Adbusters

First Things First manifesto

Kalle Lasn, Adbusters founder on CNN

‘Is there such a thing as an autonomous designer?’

After reading Jeroen Boomgaard’s text ‘Radical Autonomy’, we felt the need to have a discussion about the theme of autonomy and how important it is to use the term and define yourself as a designer or artist. We asked ourselves and the participants the following questions:
+ Are you an artist or a designer and can you be both?
+ Have you ever made autonomous work, or could you make autonomous work?
+ Is there something like non autonomous work of art?
+ Is there something like an autonomous designer?

Here you can listen to the discussion that followed. Attending were Sandberg students Anja Groten, Michele Champagne and Lauren Grusenmeyer, Typeradio’s Donald Beekman, Liza Enebeis and Akiem Helmling, philosopher and applied ethicist Nikki Brörmann and Annelys de Vet, head of the design department of the Sandberg Institute. Moderated by Brigiet van den Berg and Maartje Smits, Sandberg students.

Jeroen Boomgaard ‘Radical Autonomy’

In the second part of the interview Erik Kessels talks to us about the other side of advertising, and ‘In almost every picture’, a series of books on found photography, published by KesselsKramer themselves. Number 8 in the serie is one about Oolong the rabbit, that can balance almost anything on his head. ‘In almost every picture #7’ is a lifelong document of the Dutch woman Ria van Dijk (89) situated in a fairground shooting gallery. Because of all these projects related to photography we ask him if he also photographs himself. He talks about what kind of images he likes to shoot and how the common family photo album is purely propaganda. Recorded at the Integrated 2009 conference in Antwerp, Belgium.

Documentary 'The view of Kessels (55 mins, dutch)

KesselsKramer publishing

Oolong the rabbit

Ria van Dijk - Creative Review article

Erik Kessels is co-founder and creative director of advertising agency KesselsKramer. KesselsKramer, founded in 1996, is based in a church in Amsterdam. In 2007 KesselsKramer set up an office in London named KK Outlet.
We talk with Erik about why they started an office in London. Also about the possibility to cross-over between various disciplines, which he thinks is very interesting. And the story behind mobile phone company ‘Ben’, which was reintroduced recently. Recorded at the Integrated 2009 conference in Antwerp, Belgium.

KesselsKramer

KK Outlet, London

Ben

Is technology our next-nature?
The 2010 Dutch royal christmas message, given by Queen Beatrix, inspired us to initiate a talk on the influence of technology on our daily lives. The Queens states that we alienate ourselves from our fellow men and our direct nature through the rise of social media. But how virtual is virtual life? How alienating is technology actually?
Slavoj Zizek gives us an inspiring insight on these questions and directly challenges the Queen’s statement!
A round-table discussion with first years students of the Sandberg Institute Design Departement about technology vs. ecology and ecology as an ideology. With Anja Groten, Michele Champagne, Brigiet van den Berg, Maartje Smits, Donald Beekman, Liza Enebeis and Janneke de Rooij and Lauren Grusenmeyer as moderators.

Sandberg Institute

Queen Beatrix Christmas message 2009 (in dutch)

Slavoj Zizek in ‘Examined Life’

Initially Jan Hespeel and Randoald Sabbe started their careers seperately. Ever since they both teached at Sint-Lucas art college in Ghent, a certain synergy appeared and they began to collaborate. They have been working together as Janenrandoald for over five years now.
We asked them what they think is typical Belgian design and we also hear everything about their collections. From the collection of their feet to the various stuffed animals like the penguin, the deer, the lamb and the ‘grote trap’ (great bustard). Recorded at the Integrated 2009 conference in Antwerp, Belgium.

Janenrandoald

St.Lucas art college

grote trap / great bustard

Armand Mevis is one half of design studio Mevis & Van Deursen. He talks to us about the people he admires and what he would like to do if he would win the lottery. Also the understanding as a Graphic Designer what kind of work you make. ‘What is actually your work in the work?’ We end the interview with the question how he would liked to be remembered. Recorded at the Integrated 2009 conference in Antwerp, Belgium.

Armand Mevis talk at Walker Art Centre

Viktor & Rolf

M&vD introduction at Integrated 2009

Armand Mevis is one half of design studio Mevis & Van Deursen. While Linda Van Deursen is the head of the Graphic Design department at the Rietveld Academy, Armand Mevis teaches at the Werkplaats Typografie in Arnhem. We talk with Armand about the collaboration, on the commitment towards each other. For them working together is much more a conversation then sketching on the computer. How they hand over work to others and the position of this temporary third partner in their work. As a teacher Armand talks to us about his vision on teaching and his opinion on the level of design education in the Netherlands. Recorded at the Integrated 2009 conference in Antwerp, Belgium.

Mevis & Van Deursen

M&vD at Designmuseum

Werkplaats Typografie Arnhem

Gerrit Rietveld Academy