Stefan Sagmeister in dialog with Elfie Semotan / 150 Years of the MAK

EXEMPLARY: 150 YEARS OF THE MAK -- FROM ARTS AND CRAFTS TO DESIGN To mark the museum's jubilee, the MAK presents an inspiring juxtaposition between the tradition-steeped MAK Collection and contemporary avant-garde design. At the MAK's invitation, nine globally renowned design pioneers have agreed to participate in an experiment to investigate the significance of a model exemplary collection as a source of inspiration, which was the original motivation for founding the museum. In the process, each pioneer will have discussions with a person of their choice—so-called "muses"—in which they will shed light on the future of the applied arts as well as on the perspectives of museums dedicated to the subject. Stefan Sagmeister made his name with striking CD covers for music legends like Lou Reed and the Rolling Stones. Today he himself has joined the "company of the gods" on the Olympus of graphic design. His passion for vitality of design, for instance the individual touch manifest in demarcation or in dialog with digital typography, his endless thirst for the new, and his unconventional decision to embark on creative time-out periods mark him out for many as an exemplary model. One of the most inspiring things about him is his fundamental, cosmopolitan vision, for instance his plain and simple yet helpful list Things I have learned in my life so far. The selected exhibits by Stefan Sagmeister seem at first glance to be classics of design. Aesthetically cogent, they are in addition important witnesses to different approaches in designing our environment. Their range is intriguing, from the richness of a hand-illustrated Quran and the conviction that the energy and time invested in such a work is also an expression of a passion for beauty, to a provocative LP cover and the Jaguar E-Type as quintessence of a contradictory combination of technics and speed, combined with a mellow, almost erotic mode of expression. © MAK More Information www.MAK.at/vorbilder