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| 1. How would you
describe the studio atmosphere at MK12?
It's dynamic, casual and yet personal. Those are the words
that come to my mind. It's dynamic because the studio itself
is dynamic, there is a constant push and pull, depending
on what's happening in the studio as far as projects are
concerned. The studio as an entity is definitely greater
than the sum of its parts. It's casual, because everyone
is unpretentious, anti-hierarchical and open-minded. Yet
it's also personal, because I believe most of us are introverts.
And more importantly, we are all friends first.
2. What can you tell us about the team working behind
the scenes?
Everyone has specialty, an ingenuity if you will, and while
that may not be officially defined or acknowledged as a
group, it's apparent and well respected amongst ourselves.
That respect towards one another helps us function better
as a team overall. For example, one person may not be so
good with conceptualization but maybe extraordinary with
visualization, or vice versa. It also helps us inspire one
another.
This studio has very unique mix of personalities, and it
can serve to our disadvantage or to our advantage. For the
most part, it keeps this place dynamic and interesting.
One person coming up with a great idea one day can change
the course of a project entirely, and you just cannot expect
repetitions or formula out of anyone.
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| One day I was
driving back home and as usual I was listening to my
inner dialogue. I cannot remember exactly, but I was
giving myself an advice, and even though they were in
my own words, I quickly realized where that thought
came from; it was something I read in a book while ago.
I thought of the author, I think it was Carl Jung or
somebody, and felt as though he was living through me.
So I thought of all those people who have influenced
my life, my ideals, values and ways of thinking. I imagined
them as my councils, advising me (as a young boy) to
grow up.
The physical body is represented as a ship, a vehicle
that carries the boy and councils. What you see in
Piece 1 is how the ship looks. Piece 2, depicts the
interior structure of the ship. And for the exhibition,
I had pictures 40 councils on the wall with all of
my notes, journal entries etc showing how those 40
people have influenced me.
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| 5. Did you first start
with traditional media? How did you progress towards digital art?
When I graduated from Kansas City Art Institute in 1998, I only
knew QuarkExpress. I don't know if that explains how distant I
was from digital media. I didn't even know Photoshop or Illustrator
until I started working. I didn't consciously choose to pursue
digital art, nor I feel like I'm limiting myself to just that
(even still). Computer is a very useful tool, it's there in front
of me, and command+Z saves me every time!
6. What advice and knowledge of typography would you lend to
students of illustration & design?
I don't have extended philosophy of typography or anything, nor
I can pretend like I know a great deal about typography. (I will
leave that to those who specialize in the field) My basic attitude
toward typography is that if you respect something and treat it
accordingly, it gives you back beauty. Every letter helps define
words, every word helps define a sentence, every sentence helps
define thoughts, ideas and emotions. And if you treat them good
at the level of how each letter shapes, and at the level of how
letters look when arranged, and at the level of how words are
placed in the layout, you make them alive. When you treat an inanimate
object as a living breathing being, and give them attention and
love, it becomes alive and you can make it sing.
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7. decoylab.com
has an area dedicated to "play & accidents". Have
you found inspiration or knowledge of design through accidental
circumstances? Has this been an essential part of your design
process?
Design process, especially in the traditional sense requires
heavy research and careful planning, I won't speak for all graphic
designers out there, but at least in my known professional practice,
I was taught to work backwards from the completion of the projects,
planning out the time phase, cost of production etc. It's a very
left-brain, rational-thinking dominated process and 'accidents'
can seem like an unwelcomed diversion. Creative process is 'accident'
prone, it's mainly a right brain activity that ignores the structure.
Design process requires both creative process and organizational
rational thinking, and those two doesn't co-exist easily. I use
the term accident from left-brain stand point, while from right-brain
point of view, accident can all seems like a part of playing.
Play and accidents are synonymous in my mind, and both are absolutely
necessary in order to be creative.
8. Have you visited any inspiring art exhibits recently?
Unfortunately no. I haven't been out much lately. Do you know
any?
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| 9. What are your thoughts
on the role that corporate sponsorship plays within contemporary
art?
Honestly, I am ambivalent. I guess it depends on corporations,
their values, and what they support. There can be symbiotic relationship
between corporate sponsors and art world that both can benefit
from working together.
10. What was the last great movie you have seen?
'Giants and Toys' 1958 Japanese film by a New Wave director Yasuzo
Masumura. It's about his satirical critique of the corporate culture
in postwar Japan. It gave me a great insight about where my own
values came from as well as cultural values (in Japan) and how
postwar mentality has affected our life styles today.
11. What was the last great book you have read?
I'm still reading but it's great so I want to mention... 'The
Fourth Dimension in Architecture' by Mildred Reed Hall and Edward
T. Hall. It's about a study conducted by an anthropologist Edward
T. Hall who has studied man's use of space for many years. He
picked Deere and Company which was designed by Eero Saarinen and
studied how the building of architecture had affected the behavior
of the workers who occupied the space everyday.
It's not too idealistic of me to say (I hope) that great design
can change people's lives for the better. This book is an evidence...
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