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I couldn't get my images to load, but they are in my written essay.
Stefan Sagmeister, Creative Genius or Exhibitionist?
In this essay, I'll be exploring the ways in which Sagmeister uses his many talents to express himself through his work. But firstly, what exactly are the definitions of ‘creative genius’ and exhibitionist alike. What makes them similar, and what makes them wildly different. Exhibitionism is ‘the extravagant and conspicuous behavior intended to attract attention to oneself’. Or ‘Compulsively attracting attention to yourself especially by exaggerated public exposure or behavior.’ Creative Genius is the ‘ability to master the ability to combine their divergent and convergent thinking skills to continually produce innovative and novel ideas’.
Sagmeister has spent his career as an artist and designer working with a wide range of media and styles. He's created work for major corporations like Nike and Target, but also for some of the world's most famous fashion houses, including Louis Vuitton and Chanel. He's created interior design projects that have been exhibited internationally, but he also moonlights as a photographer and filmmaker. One such piece I will discuss is Sagmiesters AIGA (American institute of Graphic Arts) Detroit poster from 1999. Although at the beginning of his career he mainly focused on music he also frequently took commissions outside of that industry.
He has all the relevant information about the conference carved into his skin by his assistant with a craft scalpel, therefore transforming himself into the canvas for the art. His reasoning behind this was to make the results more authentic and startling. The box of plasters adds irony to the image, they cannot fully conceal or heal the damage that has been done. This piece highlights the blood sweat and tears that are involved in the creative process of making art. This piece subscribes to the tortured artist narrative. The inclusion of ‘style=fart’ is an example of his dark humor. The naked form is a common theme in Sagmiesters work.
Sagmiester and Walsh
He prefers to use more organic and messy techniques instead of a cleaner more pristine look that could be created using new technologies like the Apple Mac (created in 1984), Sagmiesters career took off in the 90’s/. His initial approach to his process was that ‘style is pointless and should be avoided, but he has re-evaluated this as his work has developed. He now believes that ‘good content can require form and style to fully express yourself’. With a consistent style and process work from one person can be more easily recognised as being made by a specific individual. Human centered, made by people designs are more often than not seen as more inspiring, with more personality and imperfections which we can relate too. “Style=fart” stemmed from his initial ideology that style was pointless. But as he has matured he has learned just how important style is for creating a personal brand that is easily recognised, and allowed people to associate the art with the artist.
“We as people become awful, ugly, stupid, and aggressive if we are in environments that are not beautiful. We see this all the time. And now that we’ve done a lot of research on it, we can prove it. I mean, if you’re in an environment that is lacking beauty, you are becoming an asshole.”
At first Sagmister was hesitant to take breaks while working. He was concerned that taking a sabbatical once every seven years would lead to the downfall of his company, that he would be forgotten and that he would potentially look unprofessional. He thought that his clients would be angry at him for putting their projects on hold. This was not the case. In fact he was met with slight jealousy. This is very unheard of. He decided to do this as a way to deter burn out. To preserve his creative genius, and further his work. His first sabbatical he spent in New York. He discovered that if he started his time off with no plan other people demanded his time. He then learned to manage his time better.
His second sabbatical he took a trip to Bali to learn about a new culture and to expand his creative genius even further. While in Bali he created his ‘The Happy Show Exhibition’ and ‘The Happy Film’.
In the world of art, Stefan Sagmeister is a creative genius. A close look at his work reveals a man who has created some of the most iconic works in contemporary art, but also one whose career has been marred by controversy and controversy-by-proxy. The way that Sagmeister approaches his craft is unique to him, but it's also typical of many artists: he creates work that is fun and inviting, but not always easy to pin down. He simply wants to create art that makes people feel good and brings them joy, and he does so in a way that is both accessible and challenging. ‘The Happy Show Exhibition is an example of this.
This approach has made him incredibly popular among audiences—so much so that the images he makes are recognizable even when they're not being directly referenced. The exhibition is centered around Sagmiesters decade long exploration and research into happiness. His exhibition consists of many different depictions of naked people in different stages of life. The naked form is a common theme in Sagmisters work. The naked form is often viewed as something that should be kept hidden and concealed. Sagmiester challenges this view. This exhibition has combined exhibitionism with his own creative genius to create an extremely important and impactful piece of work.