Letter

A letter is something that came up from culture, it is an artificial sign for something which has a meaning and long history behind it. What I’m trying to do is to understand this process of creating and re-shaping this cultural element.

Native Language

In the last 20 years, and especially in the early 90s when the internet became so important in our lives, English became so strong. Strong to such an extend that speakers of other languages often feel that their own language is not enough. I believe in the contrary, though. I think other languages and writing systems are utterly important for the mainstream - which is English now - because they bring some fresh air. I think in the long run, people will be tired of English. I think the trend will move back from English to the local languages. Keeping and experimenting in my own language is one of the most important things I can bring into the mainstream. But of course there are parts where English is unavoidable.

White

White is as important to the color palette as silence is for music.

Technology

A blessing, and also a nightmare. As a production tool, I find technology a highly useful tool; Otherwise I would always prefer my own hands and more 'primitive' tools. Technology enables typography to happen. Typography is about the mechanization of letters, from the moment print was invented till our times. To separate it form Calligraphy, it is the reproduction, design, copying, mechanization of letters. So the different technologies have impacted typography over the years, until today’s desktop publishing systems, and this is where typography is today, and how it is taught. In my approach I’m trying to view everything that comes from letters – as typography. I’m trying to investigate the new media into which typography can develop. So, for example, in the Biotypography project, typogrphay relates to the body, to bodily deformation or cloning. In this project, as part of the process, I would ask: Why not make an animal into the letter "F"?

Game

For me, the essence of life. If I lose the ability of playing, I will probably die. The first purpose of my typographic experiments is to have fun. Experimenting for me means playing a game as seriously as a six-year-old boy would. However, I feel that when I really succeed in making something fun, I often manage to surprise myself with something new and unexpected. The hidden purpose of it all is to find fresh ideas for treating typography, words and single letters.

War

Something I do not quite understand, and naturally, afraid of. I believe that outside war reflects inside disharmony.

Music

One thing I must have, except of food, drink, sleep and love. I used to play a classical guitar when I was a teenager, and although I never really liked practicing, I believe it taught me to concentrate and improve step by step. Part of the musicians I admire: Mozart, Radiohead, Kate Bush, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Morrissey, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Ravi Shankar, The Cure, The Prodigy and many more.

Time

Time flies.

Future

Future and past are fictions that we believe in. The here and now is the only time I can fully experience, and therefore understand. But I do use the 'future' sometimes when I want to open my mind: I try to ask myself how will typographic design look in 10, 20, 50 or 100 years from now?

Joker Theme: Design

Design is the field that act between need and fantasy.