AIGA Lecture Series featuring Stefan Sagmeister

A fellow and notable designer whom I went to art and design school with went to the latest AIGA Lecture Series featuring Stefan Sagmeister. I was unable to go, however, this AIM conversation was enlightening.


Via Manic



11:27:44 AM Courtney: hey did you go to the aiga event event last week
Mr. Mark: yeah
Mr. Mark: first in a long time
Courtney: how was it
Courtney: i know. I haven’t gone in ages.
Mr. Mark: it was pretty good
Courtney: what did he talk about...
Courtney: what was he like?
Courtney: i can imagine him being kinda stand-offish
Mr. Mark: authentic, smart and very comfortable with his awkwardness
Mr. Mark: smart guy
Mr. Mark: me it was inspirational beyond the design perspective. Neat guy.
Courtney: he talked beyond design?
Courtney: like what does he have to say?
Mr. Mark: well sort of. He talked some about how he shuts the studio down to take sabbaticals
Mr. Mark: i just found him to be a very self aware guy.
Mr. Mark: he sees the value in craftsmanship and respect for his work
Courtney: that is so unheard of….shut a studio down?
Mr. Mark: investing in himself and how that gives back ten fold to others around him for a year.
Mr. Mark: and he's getting ready to do it again
Courtney: hes getting ready to shut down? for a year at a time
Courtney: so inventive. risky
Mr. Mark: i'm sure that costs him multiple hundreds of thousands 

Courtney: but maybe its worth saving his sanity 

Courtney: and those around him
Mr. Mark: not so much about survival I'd say
Courtney: (sorry i just really wish i was there, i was in transit)
Mr. Mark: it's not a - reaction - to craziness
Courtney: really?
Courtney: what would you say it is then?
Mr. Mark: it's more proactively investing in yourself and the people who work for you.
Courtney: ahh i see
Courtney: would you say a respect for the quality of life and valuing the work that everyone does?
Mr. Mark: yeah. very much so he also has a great respect for process
Mr. Mark: talked about initially turning down JayZ to do a CD cover
Mr. Mark: because they don't do that anymore and he wasn't crazy about him or his approach to the project. then said okay, I'll do it for $97k so they'd hopefully go away. they said how about $75k ? he said no thanks anyway
Mr. Mark: and then they eventually came back and agreed. he did it in 2 days before a deadline and took his credit off the CD
Mr. Mark: then he later wrote JayZ and apologized for the mediocre work
Mr. Mark: very honorable, I'd say
Mr. Mark: Jay Z loved it and didn't care about the $, he changed the credit on the CD to say

Mr. Mark: "Design by: $97,000"
Mr. Mark: haha
Mr. Mark: now he has a side company called $97,000 to do work they don't like
Courtney: haha
Courtney: So they set up a shop for work that would be less than perfect/quality design
Courtney: isnt that a bad thing tho?
Mr. Mark: less than desirable subjects and clients, not quality of work
Mr. Mark: haha, yeah sort of if youre doing cigarette packages and whale harpoon identities, but I don't think it's like that. haha
Courtney: so what kind of work does his "top level" shop do?
Courtney: and how does it effect his employees when he takes a year off? he rehires them?
Mr. Mark: all sorts of things. He showed this really cool identity job for a concert hall in , ahh damn, can't remember, austria?
Mr. Mark: no they're all paid i'm sure
Mr. Mark: they're all working
Mr. Mark: on experimental projects
Mr. Mark: learning
Mr. Mark: growing
Mr. Mark: outside of client influence
Courtney: wow
Courtney: admirable
Mr. Mark: yeah, I thought so
Courtney: seems like hes known for "in your face" graphics



Courtney: a certain style
Courtney: like his book with the dog, yea?
Mr. Mark: i think really known for those "things i've learned in my life" works that he pulls from his own writing. the city of Paris gave him 6 billboards around the city and said, do what you'd like

Cover from Things I Have Learned In My Life So Far by Stefan Sagmeister. Via Creative Review

Mr. Mark: nice
Mr. Mark: hey I need to run
Mr. Mark: hope you're doing well
Mr. Mark: ttys, k
Courtney: ok
Courtney: im posting this on my blog this conversation
Mr. Mark: i saw, very nice
Courtney: thx thx thx
Courtney: ok TTYL
Mr. Mark: ha
11:55:31 AM Mr. Mark: thanks court, i'll read it more and talk later

Mr. Mark is currently working and living in the San Francisco area. He has worked with Method Design SF, Dubberly Design Studio, and other various studios around the area. Other than graphic designing he is also working as an Information Architect. Mr. Mark also teaches graphic design courses at the Academy of Art University.