Experts dissect design

PHOTOS:  Zoe McLean | WORDS: Gera Smuts & Remy Raitt

Last week, VISI sat in on the informal presentation given by international designers Paul Sahre, James Victor and Jan Wilker held by Design Indaba.

The speakers kicked off the event with projections of random images on a screen; then put these images up for discussion. Some were personal to the speakers; some not. From cars to album covers, the threesome used the images to start off the evening-long discussions about design.

From there the audience was invited to share their views on a range of related subjects such as whether designers should draw with pen and paper before moving in front of a computer.

Computers themselves were also a topic of debate, with each of the speakers airing their unique views on modern man’s best friend. James, a self-taught independent designer, said that the overload of technology available to us makes us less creative and weaker. He believes computers should be used as a tool but not be allowed to destroy the etiquette of the design trade.

Jan, a co-owner of a design company, opposed this view, saying that computers allow us to experiment, introducing more fun to the process. A graphic designer, illustrator, educator, author and editor, Paul looked at the computer with nostalgia, recalling his childhood memories of playing PC games with his father. He says that the time spent with a computer is an engaging experience and one that he finds completely fascinating.

And although all three agreed that design today is focused on the digital realm, they all enjoy design in its simplest, most tangible forms too. All three say they’re avid collectors of a multitude of objects and that everyday experiences inspire them. The 1960s designer Robert Brownjohn, who designed the Rolling Stones “Let it Bleed” album cover, was mentioned as a particular influence for James.

The engaging presentation, which felt more like a session of dinner-time banter (for the creatively minded), was a good look into the heads of some of the world’s most appreciated designers, setting just the right tone for the buzz of creativity that is currently swirling around Cape Town.

More information: www.designindaba.com, http://sahrevictorewilker.com/