MARTIN OGOLTER

interview by Hakan Turan

Having met ilhan at his us debut at atlantic records, martin ogolter started studio ormus the same time nublu launched, he designed the identity for the club as well as nublu album covers, posters and other images. with headquarters moved from new york to rio de janeiro, studio ormus helps to keep the nublu spirit international and fresh. www.studioormus.com

HT : What made you move away from the cultural hub of the world, New York to Brasil apart from the obvious benefits of good weather and good feminine company?

mo: Well seems the new york is kind of becoming a very devided place, everything is insanely over priced (except nublu), I mean wallstreet had the highest bonuses ever this year, while creative works fees are shrinking. Sure this money is passed on in other ways to other people but anyway thats economics. New York is still a great hub with lots of energy and the self-proclaimed capital of the universe but the quality of life is just not that great in comparison and I believe still Brasil to be a country of the future as Stefan Zweig proclaimed more than 50 years ago. A functioning beach in front of my window helps.

HT : How did you come to design for Nublu?

mo: I met Ilhan at Atlantic Records when he was with them, we been working together ever since

HT : To draw a parallel between a jazz musician and a designer, how much do you rely on your existing knowledge of forms, colours, geometry, shape, contour and everything else that governs aestheticsin your designs?

mo: After a musician learns scales and rythmn, he would experiment in improvisation, Is there a sizeable amount of experimentation and improvisation involved with your work? Well all the sleeves from blue note, impulse and atlantic in the 50s and a bit 60 were really groundbreaking in that genre, lots of experimentation ant avant gardework just like the music. These sleeves are being copied and used as inspiration to this day, one could make case studies were some albums took their influence. To the question on shapes and aesthetics, I studied graphic design so I studied the history of design and art. I guess once you have absorbed history, you at least know what not to do anymore and what has been done, though it seems people in general have a very short memory : ) I try to experiment as much as i can shall it be with in the computer a camera or typography, there should be a certain control about once tools but there needs to be experimentation to learn them better and to get results that are surprising and in the vibe of the project

HT : The concept of time regulates what?

mo: deadlines : )

HT : What does Nublu signify to you?

mo: It's just a place that respects the future as much as the past and the results are really special. Its also an idea that embraces the new, look lots of people are in different parts of the world, new connections are always create the family grows but all in an organic way not like a multinational.

HT : What's your favorite beer?

mo: As I am mostly in Brasil, so its Brahma, which btw, is short for Brauhaus Maier, so got to have been some German who came over here way back. HT : If history was likened to a woman's body, which part would we be living right now?

mo: You got to be kidding, a woman ain't linear like history

HT : Who do you admire currently with their creativity and/or talent.

mo: Well thats tough, one checks around the internet and there is so many good people out there in just about any field. But if you look to japan its always stunning how creative artists of any field are but i guess thats not new anymore either in the early 90 it was still novelty.I am huge Wong Kar Wai fan, he is amazing. the whole of asian cinema and its sensibility is just very refreshing.

HT : On the formation of any idea what is the primary instance? In other words, what gives birth to an idea?

mo: Oh it can be many things, It starts with reflection of the project then hopefully it goes on a voyage and comes back with a solution

HT : How do you judge the virtue in the work of other designers?

mo: Mhm, its tough because I know the process thats involved to get something approved which was not necessarily the best solution but I usually have a pretty strong opinion on type to start. I try to analyze just about anything I see, the label on the beer bottle in front of me etc. Its good practice but not it does not have to be an aestethic judgement. More to see what works and where things can be improved.

HT : Do you think is it possible to communicate in a system other than language?

mo: Ha, we do it everyday, though language is the paramount especially as the internet still functions mostly through typed words.but i think thats exactly why it specifically important to use and stimulate the senses. the body communicates all the time with its environment, consciously or not.

HT : As a European how do you feel culturally in Brasil?

mo: This is tough, such a complicated question. Brasil was a melting pot like the US still is but I certainly feel the culture much stronger then when i moved to New York. This is book material, so many issues but I suppose anybody who ever moved to another country knows what I am talking about.

HT : Towards the total annihilation of traditions of unity among people,which one do you prefer: The political pamphlets of the 20th century or the club flyers of our age?

mo:Though I like the energy of flyers I think political pamphlets were not only beautiful but had a point of view, and i am not talking about a bar 3 deep or a birdseye view of the dance floor.

HT : How does graphic design relate to the content of its bearer? Like an album cover's relationship to the music? Or simply a box to a soap?

mo: As it is the visual representation of what is inside (at least thats the general idea) it has generally a pretty strong connection but i guess in music its a bit different because often the album cover represents a vibe or a mood. Though thats certainly not true for the star machines. With soap generally you have to stay a bit closer to home.

HT : Where does the civilisation come from?

mo: Depends,men or women

HT : What's your favourite format to work in? as in album covers, posters, web, print? and why?

mo: I think its important to everything, cds can be nice to do and booklets can be a real nice challange but then its also great to do a really large poster or a campaigne of succesive images. Web i do some but not too much, I hate 99% of all flash sites.

HT : What do you think about the cynics take on advertisement as a bourgeoisie invention?

mo: That idea probably comes from a champagne socialist

HT : What do you listen to these days?

mo:Lots of stuff as usual, cartola(always), sigur ros, the last dzihan & kamien, vinicius, eulberg,goldfrapp, strauss, the 2046 soundtrack, the nublu releases, and lots more

HT : Who designed the most successful map in the world?

mo: No idea really, thought the japanese maps are amazing. I researched subway maps from all over the world some years back that was very interesting

HT : What's is the map of the universe?

mo: There ain't one