Hear and see why Stefan Sagmeister thinks it’s a good idea to close his studio every 7 years for 12 months and spend it trying out various little design experiments, for which there is never enough time while running a regular practice. Coming to Memphis by way of Bali, he describes his temporary experimental outpost, explains the structure behind it and touches on some of the pitfalls and many highlights of the past year. See how his studio’s work changed following his first sabbatical in 2000, and learn about the work he created in Indonesia, proof that he did not spend the year slurping tropical drinks by the pool.
Stefan Sagmeister formed the New York–based Sagmeister, Inc., in 1993 and has since designed for clients as diverse as the Rolling Stones, HBO and the Guggenheim Museum. Having been nominated five times for the Grammys he finally won one for the Talking Heads boxed set. He also earned practically every important international design award. In 2008, a comprehensive book titled Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far was published by Abrams. Solo shows on Sagmeister’s work have been mounted in Zurich, Vienna, New York, Berlin, Tokyo, Osaka, Prague, Cologne, Seoul and Miami. He teaches in the graduate department of the School of Visual Arts in New York and lectures extensively on all continents. A native of Austria, he received his MFA from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna and, as a Fulbright Scholar, a master’s degree from Pratt Institute in New York.
