CG + Mag #33 / CG International: HUG United (tm) Interview
CG+ (Computer Graphic Plus Magazine) thai design Magazine for graphic designers in the Asian market featured HUG United (tm) and its *bd project in his CG International focus section... a full interview and some contributions from EUROPE BY DESIGNERS first edition.
CG. PLUS: Please introduce yourselves, HUG United.
HUG UNITED: HUG United is the acronym of Hype Up Gallery United. It's a collective that grew out of a meeting between Julien Grandclement aka ODBO (Art Director) and Astrid Rousseau (Strategic Planner).
HUG United's ambition is to promote art and artists by means of international projects which make sense: an art bearer of messages, a real visual commitment opening a sociological and cultural dimension.
We're currently working on *bd project whose the first edition EUROPE BY DESIGNERS was launched last year and the second one, USA BY DESIGNERS, is in progress.
CG. PLUS: What is EUROPE BY DESIGNERS?
HUG UNITED: EUROPE BY DESIGNERS is an international artistic project whose aim is to unveil a multitude of images of Europe from the inside and from the outside. Design as the expression of a cultural vision, a political vision or a simple and unposed feeling... Design and its diversity as a new way to catch Europe.
Designers, illustrators, photographers, design studios, collectives/crews, agencies, students, visual artists... were welcome to submit an innovative, creative, exciting, personal and experimental artwork inspired by the theme: "What does Europe mean to you?".
The success of this first edition encourage us to launch the second one "USA BY DESIGNERS".
CG. PLUS: What is your inspiration to create this project?
HUG UNITED: We deeply believe into collaborative projects, mutualisation and the artistic power of a group... It most often shows up some good, unexpected and unique things. The concept of fusion, even compartmentalized, gives relevant visual and artistic viewpoints. A "Call for entries", beyond an artistic thought request on a given topic, is a meeting, an alchemy.
The sociological and cultural opening of that kind of project is just fascinating. There is no absolute truth... only some personal and collective experiences of a person and a country which impact and mark a point of view, a feeling. Actually, it’s the meeting between two backgrounds (artistic and sociological)which draw up this project.
CG. PLUS: How many countries were involved in this project?
HUG UNITED: We received contributions coming from 47 countries. We are happy to notice that the online exhibit has, as for it, sparked interest of more than 145 countries.
CG. PLUS: How was the feedback?
HUG UNITED: Feedbacks were numerous and positive.
There was an effervescence... a real interest for the theme. Beyond visual performance, the opportunity of working on a subject which makes sense was specially appreciated. Because it were important and spontaneous, it seems that relaying websites and magazines have perceived this thrust as well.
By the way, we want to thank Netdiver, NewWebPick, Bigbros Workshop, Territory Magazine, Digital Abstracts, Uailab, Designaside, R mag, Designcollector, Raise Magazine, Spyline, Nineteen74, Schön! Magazine, Pipit, iBlog, Vektorjunkie, Digital Malaya Project, of course Computer Graphic Plus Magazine and all those who have kindly relayed the information !
Contributors appreciated the international and multidisciplinary character of the jury (Thomas Brodahl from Surfstation, Carole Guevin from Netdiver, Stefan Lucut, Christophe Martin from {cpluv.com}, Tom Muller from helloMuller, David Rondel Cambou from (HKI)™ Hellohikimori™, Stanley Wong aka anothermountainman)... various backgrounds which guaranteed an open-mindedness in the selection. For USA BY DESIGNERS we have the opportunity to beneficiate from the expertise of CharlElie Couture, Genevieve Gauckler, Julius Wiedemann from Taschen, Loïc J. Sattler aka [LSD]Lysergid™, Jimmy Pak Wei Chan from Newwebpick.com, Raoul Keil from Nineteen74 and Schön! Magazine.
Online exhibition received a warm welcome. We deliberately put the emphasis on artists integrating their contributions into a personal environment with an meaningful illustrative text written by each selected contributors.
CG. PLUS: Why did you choose that country?
HUG UNITED: We haven't chosen a country but a set of countries : Europe... felt by some people as geographical europe and by others as European Union.
This double lecture as well as the multicultural character of Europe assured the sharing of rich and diverse points of view.
Concretely, Europe is our environment and we had our heart set on addressing this theme which forms a part of our daily life... a multifaceted entity... a diversity gathering.
CG. PLUS: Besides EUROPE BY DESIGNERS and USA BY DESIGNERS, do you have any other projects on the way?
HUG UNITED: We're currently working on USA BY DESIGNERS, the call for entries is just finished and the selection step is starting! Results will be announced in April and the online exhibit release is scheduled for the beginning of June. This step is very chronophagous but exciting.
Regarding our future projects, it's a bit too early! For the moment, we are impatient to see and make discover contributions selected as part of USA BY DESIGNERS and to reinvent a way of highlighting these artworks.
CG. PLUS: What do you think the design industry will be in the future?
HUG UNITED: It looks presumptuous to pose as a visionary of the design industry which is inherently the fruits of collective and individual creative imagination. Techniques coexistence are more and more present... a digital creation enhanced with traditional arts... and an upgraded handiwork which nourishes itself with digital techniques.
The international diffusion and education democratization (graphic training, design school, etc.) have an impact on a fusion of styles which must be taken into consideration to avoid the standards.
CG. PLUS: What advice do you have for new aspiring designers?
HUG UNITED: The one and only one advice we can express is to get frantically involved in THEIR way, trying to limit compromises.
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