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Demian Conrad

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki







Demian Conrad
Born
🏫 EducationVisual Communication, SUPSI, Lugano
💼 Occupation
👔 EmployerAutomatico Studio
Known fordesign, visual identities, wayfinding, editorial design, exhibition design, author

Demian Conrad (born in 1974, Locarno)[1] is a Swiss designer whose work ranges from graphic design to visual arts. Conrad is an author of books on design;;[2], and also the creative director of renowned cultural institutions and firms, such as the Center for Future Publishing and DADADUM. He is also known for having invented a new process called Water Random Offset Printer (WROP).

Biography[edit]

Demian Conrad graduated with a degree in Visual Communication from SUPSI in Lugano[3]. During this period, he was a pupil of designer Bruno Monguzzi and artist Reto Rigassi. Later, he studied Lateral Thinking with Edward De Bono at the University of Malta[4]. In 2003, the designer moved to Lausanne and in 2007 he founded the Demian Conrad Design Studio[4].
In 2013, he founded the DADADUM furniture collection[5]. Under Conrad's creative direction, DADADUM won several awards, including the ED Awards European Design[6]. From 2014 to the present, Conrad has taught Editorial Design and has been a researcher at Haute Ecole d'Art et Design (HEAD) in Geneva[7], where, in 2017, he co-founded the Center for Future Publishing and became its creative director[8][7]. In 2016, Demian Conrad curated the visual identity for the campaign on the Swiss referendum in favor of basic income (Basic Income Campaign), proposed by Generation Grundeinkommen[9][7]. In 2017, the Art Director Club awarded the Silver Cube Prize to the Basic Income Campaign[10][7]. In the same year, Conrad renamed his atelier Automatico Studio[9] and became a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI)[11].

Design[edit]

Demian Conrad has been developing new visual communication strategies throughout his career. From 2007 to 2015, he applied an experimental approach to graphic design, inspired by the masters of the Swiss School such as Max Bill as well as other creative figures such as Bruno Munari[12]. In those years, he also approached the participatory design, DIY ethics, design hacking, and algorithmic and parametric typography, experimenting with new ways of designing and producing works[12][7]. In 2017, he starts investigating a different approach to graphic design, through a methodology aimed at reducing complexity and highlighting meaning. Inspiring by minimal art and some Japanese philosophies, he approached the poetics of emptiness[9]. Conrad applies this concept and integrates them into the currents of thought initiated by Emil Ruder, AG Fronzoni, and Georg Staehelin, from which he drew inspiration[9]. He thus converges on a language centered on the value of essentiality and his aesthetics, focusing on the pure forms and typographic legibility. The latter is based on clear, versatile, and consistent characters, such as those designed with the Univers font by Adrian Frutiger[9][13].

Research[edit]

Through his graphic work, Conrad develops visual and design grammars, using new media and technologies, such as avant-garde printing processes, generative typography, and digital visualizations based on algorithms and creative coding[14][7]. In 2010, he develops a new process called Water Random Offset Printer (WROP), based on offset printing. This technique is borrowed from printers who wash up their machine after a job by squirting alcohol into the plates, to remove residual ink as the press is running[15]. WROP allows the designer to interfere with the hydro and chemical settings of the machine while it is printing, altering mass productions through manual interventions which dilute the ink on the plates using water[16].
Other techniques developed and used by Conrad in graphic design are based on algorithmic and parametric typography[17]. He also uses generative algorithms to produce a design and artificial intelligence for the autonomous design of editorial and multimedia work, exploiting AI algorithm capacity to analyze and interpret textual and visual data[14][7].

Graphic artworks[edit]

Conrad's design work focuses on visual identity designs, wayfinding, editorial design, and exhibition design[9]. During his career, he has worked for numerous international cultural and artistic institutions.

Postage stamp centenary of the Swiss Civil Code[edit]

In 2012, Demian Conrad was commissioned by the Swiss Confederation to design the stamp for the centenary of the Swiss Civil Code (SCC)[18]. The visual syntax chosen by the designer was intended to celebrate the code. Conrad identified the concept of good faith as that which regulates and encourages citizens to use their freedom responsibly. This is a central concept of the SCC, which is expressed in Art. 2(1)[18]. The designer represented this fundamental principle on the stamp in the three official languages of the Confederation. His aim was to visually transfer and summarize the essence of the SCC on the stamp, as if it were a cut-out from the official book[18]. For the occasion, the designer used a grey color, reminiscent of the cover color of the SCC, and the Times New Roman font, which also characterized the print editions of the codex[18]. A key feature of the stamp is the small size of the characters, which were designed to be read through the typical philatelic collector's lens[18]. The printing technique used is the engraving technique. The stamp, which is in the commemorative and Priority Mail A category, was issued in Switzerland for one year and was printed as a limited edition with 1.5 million copies[18]. It was presented in 2012 to the Swiss Parliament in Bern by the former President of the Swiss Confederation Simonetta Sommaruga[18].

LUFF 12[edit]

In 2013, Conrad developed the communication campaign for the 12th edition of the Lausanne Underground Film & Music Festival (LUFF)[19][7]. The theme chosen for that edition of the festival was accident[20].
Through a minimalist image, the designer embraced the contemporary filmographic and musical universe and related it to the concept of randomness[19]. Conrad's work focused on the typography and the sign. The typographic strategy chosen was to use monumental fonts, large enough to be recognizable and readable from a distance. The poster he developed aimed to attract the attention of passers-by and draw them in through a kinetic process, in which the message is veiled and then revealed[19]. By doing so, Conrad plays with the audience, who is stimulated through figurative composition to explore the message[19]. In the typesetting, he divided the text into six lines, covering some of them with black bands, created with the WROP technique[15]. The alternation of black and white bands expresses the relationship between control and randomness. The WROP printing technique was implemented in a new way, as it was applied on pre-printed black text on white paper to causally veil part of it[15]. This process was also used to cross out the word underground, a historical feature of LUFF's logo. This visual system was also used to design posters, flyers, and catalogs. The graphic work created for the campaign was displayed on the streets and public transports in Lausanne[21].

Art Basel[edit]

In 2014, Conrad was commissioned to design the campaign for Art Basel contemporary art fair[1][7]. Conrad conveyed the fair's identity through a simple and immediate message[1]. He focused on the relationship between color and identity. Influenced by the stylistic heritage of the Swiss fair, he created a new identity by balancing colors and their contrast[1]. He paired two contrasting colors for each image; for instance, metallic and material colors were paired with fluorescent and vibrant ones[1]. In this work, he used the screen-printing technique. This technique allows to increase the density of the color making the surface more reflective and the contrasts more vivid[1]. This allowed the color combinations to be further emphasized. This communicative strategy created a contrast with the surrounding environment, which made the work more salient and quickly decipherable. This concept was also implemented in other communication materials of the campaign, such as the posters and backlight[1].

Basic income[edit]

In 2016, Conrad designs the visual identity for the Swiss Basic Income Campaign proposed by Generation Grundeinkommen[7]. For this project he applies a radical artistic approach, valuing beauty as a political message[1]. The designer conceives the golden circle: "It is a symbol. An elegant, positive and feminine symbol that evokes a better society where wealth is better distributed. Above all, we wanted to make something beautiful. The concept of this campaign is that beauty can change the world," says Conrad for 24heures magazine[7]. Through this work, Conrad seeks the evocative power of the sign reduced to its essence[9].

Artistes and robots[edit]

In 2017, during the International Exhibition in Kazakhstan, the Grand Palais in Paris, in collaboration with the Astana Contemporary Arts Center, launched an exhibition titled Artistes & Robots[22]. This interactive exhibition explored the relationship between artists and artificial intelligence. Together with the curator Jérôme Neutres and co-curator and artist Miguel Chevalier, he designed the graphic communication of the entire exhibition, including the event identity, infographics, catalog, and communication campaign[7]. Conrad used parametric algorithms to design the exhibition's editorial and multimedia work[22] These algorithms were inspired by Donald Knuth's Meta-font[14].
The design of the exhibition emphasized the relationship between the artist and algorithms by creating spaces with explicit and implicit references to the human-machine theme[22]. He also created the installation called Responsive Typography[23]. This work welcomes the visitor through a dialogue with an algorithm, which interprets the movements of the visitors. This human-machine dialogue takes place through the manipulation, in real-time, of the characters of the words Artistes & Robots. These are displayed on a LED screen connected to a PC that receives signals about the visitor's positioning from an Xbox Kinect 360[22]. This work includes a custom font, derived from a parametric generation process that Conrad developed from hand drawings. The parametric font shape is the result of a process that transforms circular shapes into squares or rhombuses. To create this font, an application was developed in collaboration with Prototypo[22]. Conrad also designed the catalog accompanying the exhibition, the cover of which features an image of a work by the artist Stelarc, during one of his performances, entitled Third Hand & Exoskeleton Arm[22]. This exhibition was presented at the Expo in 2017 in Astana before being brought to Paris in 2019[24].

Collections[edit]

Conrad's works can be found in private and important museum collections, including the Museum für Gestaltung in Zurich[25], the Musée de Design et d'Arts Appliqués Contemporains in Lausanne, the National Library in Bern, and the Cantonal Library of Canton Vaud[8].

Selected exhibitions[edit]

  • 2021 Rock Me Baby, curated by Sébastien Mettraux, Centre D'Art Contemporain, Yverdon-Les-Bains (Swiss)[26];
  • 2020 Offsetdruck-Unikate, curated by Johannes Nilo, Unternehmen Mitte, Basel (Swiss)[27];
  • 2019 Millennials – New Millennium Design, curated by José Bártolo, Porto Design Biennial, Porto (Portugal)[29];
  • 2018 Artistes et robots, curated by Laurence Bertrand-Dorléac & Jérôme Neutres, Grand Palais de Paris, Paris (France)[24];
  • 2017 Artists and Robots, curated by Jérôme Neutres & Miguel Chevallier, Astana (Kazakistan)[22];
  • 2016 Swiss Graphic Design Exhibition, curated by Erich Brechbühl, Noël Leu & Anna-Viktoria Eschbach, Crafts Museum of China Academy of Art, Shanghai (China)[32];
  • 2014 SCHWEIZ – JAPAN, curated by Stephanie Cuérel & Josh Schaub, Weltformat Graphic Design Festival, Lucerne (Swiss)[33];
  • 2013 Un/Limited, curated by Thibaud Tissot, Museum of Fine Arts, Le Locle (Swiss)[34];
  • 2012 100 Jahre Schweizer Grafik, curated by Karin Gimmi e Barbara Junod, Museum für Gestaltung, Zurigo (Swiss)[35]
  • 2011 The hand of graphic designer, curated by Francesca Serrazanetti & Matteo Schubert, Villa Necchi, Milan (Italy)[36]

Books and articles[edit]

  • Who the Hell Is Müller-Brockmann?: Conversations About the Swiss Style, Demian Conrad, Arthur Niggli, 2021, ISBN 9783721210071 Search this book on .;
  • JOHANNES & ALAN. A workshop of algorithmic typography, Demian Conrad, ISSUE, Journal of art & design HEAD – Genève, 2020, https://issue-journal.ch/flux-posts/johannes-alan/
  • Famous ordinary things, Demian Conrad & Rob Van Leijsen, DABOOK, 2016.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Demian Conrad, le design 2.0, Virginie Nussbaum, Le Temps, 26 June 2017. [1]
  2. ↑ Vivre avec le design, Emmanuel Grandjean, Le Temps, May 27, 2016. [2]
  3. ↑ Demian Conrad. Biography, Journal of art & design HEAD – Genève
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 DEMIAN CONRAD-Interview, Denis Moya, November 2012, Ligature
  5. ↑ DADADUM, Swiss design brand launched by the graphic designer and entrepreneur Demian Conrad, Dennis Moya & Tiffany Baehler, Ligature, September, 2014. [3]
  6. ↑ ED Awards European Design, Web
  7. ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 Les mystérieux ronds dorés collés à Lausanne, c'était eux, 24heures, May 17, 2017. [4]
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Demian Conrad, HEAD Genève, Web
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Automatico studio updates its design ethos to one that succumbs to “simplicity, reduction and calm”, Ayla Angelos, It’s Nice That, 25 January 2021. [5]
  10. ↑ The ADC Annual Awards, Web
  11. ↑ Demian Conrad, Alliance Graphique Internationale, Web
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Demian Conrad. Guest Interview, Interview Design, July 12, 2020
  13. ↑ La mise en page comme tectonique, entretien avec Demian Conrad, Valérie Bovay & Marc Frochaux, Espazium, Septembre 8, 2020. [6]
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Demian Conrad, designer, Gutenberg, Bubble Jet et LCD, Design Viral, 2019, Web. [7]
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Graphic design meets printmaking, Fraser Muggeridge, School of Design RMIT University, 2018.
  16. ↑ Demian Conrad: Visualisation Of Rarity, TEDx Geneva, 2010
  17. ↑ Face à l'IA, "l'artiste reste clairement le créateur",RTS, Mars 20, 2019, Web. [8]
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 Centenary of the Swiss Civil Code, Focus on stamps. The Collector's Magazine, 2012. [9]
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Graphic Design: Demian Conrad builds festival identity by interfering with printing process, Rob Alderson, It’s Nice That, 21 May 2014. [10]
  20. ↑ LUFF 12, 2013, Web
  21. ↑ Luff 13-Damien Conrad, Crap is Good, 13 January 2014
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 Automatico’s augmented, responsive typeface for Artists & Robots, Ruby Boddington, It’s Nice That, 26 October 2017. [11]
  23. ↑ Artists and Robots at The Grand Palais, Talia Elbaz, Whitewall, 17 May 2018. [12]
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Artists and Robots, the new immersive exhibition to see at the Grand Palais, Marie Périer, VOGUE, 21 April 2018.[13]
  25. ↑ Collection Museum of Design Zurich, Web
  26. ↑ Rock Me Baby, Centre D'Art Contemporain
  27. ↑ Demian Conrad, personal website
  28. ↑ Code/Poésie, Lyrical Valley
  29. ↑ Millennials – New Millennium Design, Porto Design Biennial.[14]
  30. ↑ Art imprimé, Triennal of Contemporary Prints.[15]
  31. ↑ Who the hell is Mr Brockmann?, Swiss Cultural Fund
  32. ↑ Swiss Graphic Design Exhibition, Pro Helvetia
  33. ↑ SCHWEIZ – JAPAN, Weltformat Graphic Design Festival. [16]
  34. ↑ Un/Limited, Museum of Fine Arts, Le Locle
  35. ↑ 100 Jahre Schweizer Grafik, Museum für Gestaltung
  36. ↑ The hand of graphic designer, Abitare, 2011. [17]

External links[edit]



Category:Living people Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:Swiss graphic designers Category:Swiss industrial designers Category:Swiss stamp designers Category:Minimalism Category:Design educators Category:People from Locarno Category:Visual arts Category:1974 births



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