I would describe myself as an orthodox graphic designer. While I often use a multi-disciplinary approach by combining design with computer science, I strongly appreciate ‘the classics.’ I love the mid-century approach to design, often lauded by European design programs. This love doesn’t stem from a dogmatic approach to design but rather the interesting interplay that comes to fruition when breaking those old rules of Western graphic design. It can often feel, in the US, that graphic design is nothing more than a vocation, a set of skills to be learned but not a way of understanding the world, its manufacturing, production, and culture histories. This past summer, I was able to attend DIS Copenhagen for a six-week graphic design studio. Our instructor, Morten Noer, an accomplished Danish graphic designer, impacted me most significantly. His education was at a time of orthodoxy in design, but his career began when technology allowed for innumerable opportunities in the design world.

For these six weeks, we were prompted to create a visual Identity for the Copenhagen Jazz Festival. This cultural institution held the festival while we were completing our experience abroad, which made this all the more engaging. This festival doesn’t just occur at one theater or stage but instead happens throughout the city over a matter of weeks with tens of free shows. As I began ideating for my visual identity, I was able to push my work to a new level. I was entrenched in a culture that valued design so heavily while getting to experience a world-class cultural festival and synthesize these experiences with my previous interests and knowledge.