OUGD603 - PPP - Contacting Studio

The Beautiful Meme -

Who - The Beautiful Meme are a London based design studio whos practice focusses on print media design. There work is bold, bibrant and widery varying. They work with clients such as The Design Museum (Working on a whole campaign to promote a new season at the Institute), English National Ballet (Working again on promotional pieces).

Why - As mentioned above their work is vibrant and outgoing, as well as visually stimulating, this would be a great company to discuss work with as I try to input color and bold graphics into my own work. They work on branding for cultural events likes exhibitions or art/ dance performances, something which I have tried my hand at this year already through the left bank opera live brief.

Method - I was lucky enough to be given an inside contact from The Beautiful Meme - Alec Mozzeti an alumni of Leeds Art University and a northerner like myself. I messaged him asking for a conversation about the practice he does at the studio.

Response - Alex replied asking to see my work, I have replied attaching a link to my online portfolio which is my website.

OUGD603 - PPP - Contact

Sending Emails to design studios - Uk Based design studios which I would align myself with and wish to work for or discuss the practice with.

-Superfriends
-Rabbit Hole
- The beautiful Meme
- others

OUGD603 - PPP - Reading This year

This year I have undertaken a varied mix of reading, for various reasons such as interest, research and enjoyment. Through contextual practice research, I was reading a lot of Dada-related books and material, looking at creative freedom, this lead me to look at the post-modern design book No More Rules by Rick Poyner - this book gave me insight into design styles, theories and history, it has influenced my work aswell as my reading, leading me to look into The Face magazine and purchasing 'The story of The Face' book which has influenced my design. Through my Extended practice I have been looking at Avante Garde art and in particular Olga Rozanova, through this having to read huge texts on avant-garde theory to research a publication.

My Practice has been influenced this year by a number of books, Emil Ruders Typography book has influenced the way I design and Experiment with type, The Politics of Design Book has inspired me to consider the cultural meaning behind various design styles and communicative skills. The book Why Beauty is the key to Everything, by Alan Moore has helped me to keep a focus on my practice and has aided the way I consider my work, helping me appreciate the process of design more. 

OUGD603 - PPP - Social Media Accounts

This year I have kept my social Media Accounts - Instagram and Tumblr up to date as regular as possible, my Instagram has been my main source of output for the past two years.

Instagram - @hastie.c
Tumblr - https://connorhastie.tumblr.com/

OUGD603 - PPP - Engaging in Exhibitions

This year I have been visiting a wide variety of galleries and exhibitions, both for personal and professional purposes. Galleries and exhibitions are a good way to find new research, get inspiration and also explore things that are outside of graphic design. I like to keep my interests varied and let inspiration come from a number of different places.

Jean-Michel Basquiat - Boom For Real Exhibition - Barbican Centre London
The first large-scale exhibition in the UK of the work of American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Being familiar with Basquiat's work and finding him hugely inspirational, I found the exhibition to be insightful, useful and influential, the work shown was one of the biggest collection of the artists work exhibition.

Inspired to -

• Use more colour
• Get Back to drawing
• Work on all mediums you can

Joseph Beuys - The Tate London - was a German Fluxus, happening, and performance artist as well as a sculptor, installation artist, graphic artist, art theorist, and pedagogue. His extensive work is grounded in concepts of humanism, social philosophy and anthroposophy; it culminates in his "extended definition of art" and the idea of social sculpture as a gesamtkunstwerk, for which he claimed a creative, participatory role in shaping society and politics. His career was characterized by open public debates on a very wide range of subjects including political, environmental, social and long term cultural trends. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of the second half of the 20th century.

Ferrari

Getting to see the design museum for the first time was an amazing experience. The space used for the Ferrari exhibition was incredible, using huge typographic signs to showcase the design of Ferrari. 

Hepworth Wakefield

Keeping up with the different exhibitions at the Hepworth. For visual inspiration, research and general engagement with culture.

Leeds Gallery

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

roger hiorns seizure