Artist Research - Stefan Sagmeister

'The Happy Show'

​'Filling the Institute of Contemporary Art's (ICA) entire second-floor galleries and ramp, and activating the in-between spaces of the museum, The Happy Show offers visitors the experience of walking into Stefan Sagmeister's mind as he attempts to increase his happiness via mediation, cognitive therapy, and mood-altering pharmaceuticals.' 

Taken from http://www.sagmeisterwalsh.com/

I like Sagmeister's use of limited colour scheme, as it helps the viewer focus on the visual representations and statistics illustrated. To add to this, it is simply laid out without unnecessary complications which makes it easy on the eye.

I've also taken a liking to the concept - I find psychology fascinating, and research into both an individual mind and the general public's greatly interests me. I enjoy the idea that each and every viewer would compare themselves to the chart and see similarities between themselves and others.

'Obsessions Make my Life Worse and my Work Better'

'On September 13, 2008 Sagmeister Inc. began the installation of 250,000 Eurocents on Waagdragerhof Square in Amsterdam. Over the course of 8 days and with the help of more than 100 volunteers, the coins were sorted into 4 different shades, and carefully placed over this 300 sqm area, according to a master plan.

The coin mural spelled out the sentence “Obsessions make my life worse and my work better.” After completion the coins were left free and unguarded for the public to interact with. Less than 20 hours after the grand opening, a local resident noticed a person bagging the coins and taking them away. Protective of the design piece they had watched being created, they called the police. After stopping the ‘criminal’ the police–in an effort to ‘preserve the artwork’–swept up every remaining cent and carted them away.'

Taken from http://www.sagmeisterwalsh.com/

Firstly, I enjoy large scale projects, which, if I am honest, probably stemmed from my love of the 'Big Art Attacks' on the children's TV show 'Art Attack'. I also love the contrast of the metallic coins on the matt background of the tiles. The geometric nature of the text works well with the organic flora here, and the piece is well composed and thought out.