OFFSET 2014 was buzzing with creativity, excitement and inspiration last weekend, as a great line up of influential speakers descended on Dublin from across the globe. The stellar line-up this year included Jessica Walsh from Sagmeister & Walsh, designer Neville Brody, quirky (and very funny!) illustrator, Jon Bugerman, Richard Turley, Bloomberg Business, ideas man Jeff Greenspan, UK design studio ilovedust and creative magazine and website itsnicethat. Some of Ireland’s leading creatives also took to the stage including Richard Mosse, Brown Bag Films, Maser and Chris Judge.
An enthusiastic crowd filled the Bord Gais Energy Theatre for the weekend to learn insights, work, inspiration and personal perspectives from international and Irish designers, animators, illustrators, advertisers, artists, photographers and more.
Here a few of Niki’s favourite talks from OFFSET 2014:
SATURDAY
‘Feed the camera like a tamagotchi’
Richard Mosse
Fresh from his exhibition at the RHA Gallery, Richard Mosse discussed the impact of war on a country and its people through his documentation of war in the Congo in his collection of beautiful and harrowing photography.
‘Make trouble, make think’
Neville Brody
Internationally renowned designer, Neville Brody, discussed the highlights of his career to date including his work as art director for British magazine The Face, co-founder of the visionary FontShop, principal and owner of Research Studios, where he worked on projects including the re-design of The Times with a simple brief – ‘change everything and make sure nobody notices’. Brody also discussed the influence of mass media and its impact on messaging, while also encouraging the idea of play and experiment – ‘things go wrong, get new ideas, new expressions’.
‘Never underestimate your audience and you will always find work’
Brown Bag films
‘Give Up Yer Auld Sins’ creators Cathal Gaffney and Darragh O’Connell from Brown Bag Films brought us through animation in Ireland and how they have been nominated for an Oscar twice for their work in children’s animation: Octonauts and Henry Hugglemonster. Brown Bag Films highlighted the importance of ‘selling your trust first and projects second’.
‘Marketing always looks backwards’
Milton Glaser
Attendees at OFFSET 2014 were lucky enough to watch an exclusive interview with Milton Glaser in conversation with Steve Heller in NYC. The man behind the ‘I Heart NY’ logo, the Brooklyn Lager identity, the iconic Dylan image, a founder of the revolutionary Pushpin studio and the author of several books about how to think creatively, Milton Glaser gave an in-depth interview on the meaning of art and the importance of resisting the commercial world, while urging us to see what is in front of us for inspiration.
‘If you are early, you are on time’
Maser Art and Malcolm London
Discussing the evolution of graffiti art in Ireland today, Maser introduced a surprise speaker Malcolm London during his talk, to highlight their ‘Never Too Late To Love’ collaborative mural in Chicago – check out the video below.
SUNDAY
‘You don’t always need to agree with the client’
ilovedust
A great start to Sunday morning at OFFSET, the guys from ilovedust gave a very interesting talk on graphic design and how they have collaborated with cool clients including Nike, VH1, Beats by Dre and MEATMARKET (a burger joint based in London) – their sensational illustrations and graphics have created a style that has been a trend for over a decade.
‘Creative freedom comes from low expectations’
Jon Bugerman
As well as learning about the adventures of his bright yellow coat, illustrator Jon Bugerman gave a very entertaining talk on his work and insights on how to balance life, fun, and work. Speaking about the importance of ‘happy accidents…which lead to innovations’, Bugerman believes we should incorporate more unscripted events every day.
‘There is no reason not to follow your heart’
Richard Turley
Director of Bloomberg Businessweek, Richard Turley introduced a dose of pop-culture to the magazine, making it one of the most strikingly visual magazines on the ‘serious’ shelf. Turley presented his most dramatic and concept driven covers to date, showing the thought process behind some of his favourite issues.
‘Find your own authentic voice and speak with it very loudly’
Jeff Greenspan
Jeff Greenspan is the man behind the ‘Hipster Trap’, ‘The World’s Most Exclusive Website’ and ‘NYC Tourist Lanes’ and is recognised for his bold and creative ideas within the digital space. Previously chief creative officer for Buzzfeed, Jeff now freelances for some of the world’s biggest brands. During his talk, he urged us to be ‘bold with our ideas’ and ‘have energy from the very beginning’. He highlighted the importance of doing various side projects to stand out.
