Stefan's Stories

Just borrowed a copy of Stefan Sagmeister's Things I Have Learned In My Life So Far. It really is a very nice book, composed of several small booklets, each with an item from Sagmeister's list of Things. His honesty and commitment to his work is refreshing, I think, and so far I've found it interesting reading. It's quite a strange reaction I have to him, as though I should feel passionately about him one way or another, and yet I find myself strangely unmoved by work I know to be great design. Is this the part where design fails to reach art, where we see the designer's hand at work, crafting something for a specific need? I find myself asking; "What if this was art? What would you think?" And I would argue that some, if not most, of it is art, such as his six page spread that started it all. The brief was to fill six pages with anything he wanted, and while that may be considered enough to render it design, I've seen enough art commissions to know that they often have more complex criteria. What is striking about these maxims (quotes seems inaccurate) is that they stay away from the classic stuff you find printed on a mug, or calendar, or inspirational poster. They are more subtle, and their application seems much more heartfelt and thoughtful.