You’re invited to the second lecture in SVA’s “Dot Dot Dot” series, featuring Objectified director Gary Hustwit and three other speakers giving four talks in forty minutes. This month’s topic:
“The Interviewers”
We often see the final result — whether it be a product, a feature film, or a short story. But behind these strong finishes are strong interviewers who conducted bodies of research to inform the outcomes we now enjoy. Whether the fit and finishes of those interviews are visible or not, these interviewers play a pivotal role in shaping the final outcome. Learn from four practitioners how they ask the questions to get the answers they need; how disparate and unexpected research methods can inform the final outcome.
Speakers: Gary Hustwit, Director, Helvetica, Objectified Jason Severs, Principal Designer, frog design Clive Thompson, New York Times Magazine and Wired magazine Elisabeth M. De Morentin, Illinois Institute of Technology, Institute of Design
Monday, December 8, 6pm to 8pm
White Rabbit
145 E Houston Street, New York, NY Update: this event is now sold out.
The “Dot Dot Dot” Lecture Series is meant for broad explorations of interaction design, business, and aesthetic inspiration. Practitioners and thought leaders give short talks in an informal setting. Wisdom will be revealed and methods will be shared in a environment intended to satisfy both social and scholarly pursuits.
Ahhhh… technology. The geniuses at Plexifilm have spent the past two years developing a Sharpie pen that actually writes in Helvetica! This pen is so experimental that it’s priceless… literally. You can’t buy one, but you can get one free with any Helvetica merchandise purchase (DVD, T-shirt, etc.). Get your free pen while they last. It’s a great gift for that person in your life with sloppy handwriting…
* Warning: if you are John Downer or Marian Bantjes then the pen will actually write in Helvetica. Otherwise, your results may vary. Do not swallow. Keep away from open flame and co-workers. May cause drowsiness.
– Tomorrow night, Nov. 20, Bill Moggridge moderates a discussion with Yves Behar and others, to open the “Art & Design in a Global World” Design Preis Schweiz (Swiss Design Award) exhibit in San Francisco
– US television premiere of Helvetica on PBS moved from January 13 to January 6
I feel like I’ve been out of the graphic design news loop lately, and I just discovered that UK design kings Blanka issued a print by one of my graphic design heroes, Amsterdam’s own Wim Crouwel. It’s a meticulously restored edition of Crouwel’s 1968 “Vormgevers” poster. The reprint was overseen by Crouwel himself, and he’s signed the first 50 copies. Get one while they’re still around.
It’s funny, but there’s been almost as much written about the Objectified logo, created by British graphic designer Michael C. Place of Build, as has been written about the film itself. Michael has just posted a piece about the design on his smart new blog, and included dozens of images of the different variations of the logo as it evolved (click the images to magnify).
We happened to be in the Bouroullec’s Paris studio while the brothers were working with the book’s graphic designers, ericandmarie, and we filmed the meeting, so you might see some of it in the film. And check out ericandmarie’s site for a nice video they produced for the Bouroullecs’ 2004 show at MOCA Los Angeles.
The always incisive Design Observer will celebrate its five year anniversary this week with a party in New York City, Wednesday, November 5. The party will take place at Element (the beautiful 19th century bank building that became the Jasper Johns studio), located at 225 East Houston Street. It’s open and free with the password (that would be: Design Observer).
7pm-9pm: Cocktail hour. Meet Design Observer authors and contributors.
9pm-2am: DJs Kevin Smith, Debbie Millman, and myself… spinning whatever the hell we think will sound good through a 36,000 watt sound system. I am not kidding. I may have to break out the Mister Rogers record again…
It’s the night after Election Day… so I hope we’re celebrating. VOTE!
What happens when you put a hot dog, a pole-dancing doll, a Philippe Starck juicer, a Gaussian gun, a Tickle-Me Elmo, lots of marbles, and a mechanical Chinese duck together in eight locations around the world? IDEO’s global Rube Goldberg machine:
0
