You have done many workshops and lectures over various concepts. What is the most important thing to consider when educating young designers? And what is it that comes to you through those experiences?Exchange, openness and experimentation. Learning happens in both directions. I think it’s important to ask the right questions and get students excited about many things if possible, and to make recommendations. Often I bring a lot of references, as I think a certain level of confusion can sometimes be a good thing. In Barcelona, I teach international classes. Students in a master’s class come from South America, Europe, Russia, China, and other places. It is incredibly exciting to learn about the different stories and cultural backgrounds of the students and make these part of the teaching.
Workshops in Barcelona at Elisava
at the invitation of Marc Panero, Director of the Master Program
2018, 2019, 2022
graphic.elisava.net/en/
Photography by Aramis León
at the invitation of Marc Panero, Director of the Master Program
2018, 2019, 2022
graphic.elisava.net/en/
Photography by Aramis León
This pandemic has brought about major changes in the world, but what changes are you experiencing in the design field?I think you have to look at that on a case-by-case basis. In our field, I’m seeing a shift in formats toward digital. Collaboration via screen has become our new standard. The virtual space has gained a new presence, faster than expected. At best, we can reverse the experience of the last two years and improve how we handle such difficult situations. Suddenly, we can better adapt to immediate changes, and we should try to use this ability for the future. I think for the designer, issues of sharing have become even more important because of the pandemic. It will be exciting to see how our inner world will evolve as the outer becomes more uncertain.
Can you tell us a little about your daily life these days? What do you find enjoyment in?Corona time consists of routines. I fulfill many clichés: baking bread, walking around the city, making music, reading. We visit exhibitions. My brother gave us a bonsai for beginners. I had not yet realized how calming such a small tree can be.
Please tell us about your future plans and prospects, including your personal hopes.I hope that the Corona period, to which we have become alarmingly accustomed, will soon come to an end. That we will soon be able to travel again. I am looking forward to going to the Venice Biennale and hopefully the north of Norway, and pursuing our social contacts. Part of my wife’s family is from the Philippines: it’s time to go there again, and maybe we can combine it with a trip to Japan, as it’s been so long since I’ve been there.
