Interview with of EyeSaw

EyeSaw is an annual event that invites the country’s top graphic designers to create and install a piece of visual communication in the Ultimo public space, Omnibus Lane. We talk to the project’s curator, Mark Gowing.

Where did the idea for EyeSaw (now in its third year) initially come from?

EyeSaw was originally conceived by Simon Pemberton (president of AGDA NSW) as exhibition by graphic designers about graphic design. This year we have steered away from themes centred around graphic design and focused on using design to focus on more human issues. The aim is to draw attention to the power of design by using it to engage and motivate.

Dave Foster _ EyeSaw

How do people get invited to take part in EyeSaw?

This year we have begun running EyeSaw as a curated invitational exhibition. There is no submission criteria, work restrictions or judging process. Rather, the studios are selected for their potential to deliver engaging and evocative results.

Were the participants given a brief, and how long did they have to prepare their contribution?

The brief this year was simply “Humanity/Equality”. The theme was intentionally designed to be a bit abstract and interpretable. The hope is that we receive a variety of responses from a broad set of view points. Designers were encouraged to work from the heart and focus on humanitarian issues that are important to them personally. The designers were given about five weeks to respond to the brief.

Has anyone ever declined to be involved with EyeSaw?

We have had about a 50% acception rate from those invited. Most of the designers who have declined are too busy to find time.

What sort of response from the viewers are you hoping for from the “The Israel/Palestine separation barrier” that will be appearing in EyeSaw?

I think this piece will be important for its global outlook as well as global execution. I hope that viewers get a sense of how small our world has become and that we are all neighbors. There is also a very individual point of view in that piece – it is being created by three Palestinian individuals who have no relationship with Sydney. It speaks clearly about the volume of an individual voice.

Jenny Grigg _ EyeSaw

What are you most looking forward to in EyeSaw?

I am really looking forward to the diversity, but I think I am mostly looking forward to how emotive the exhibition could be. I hope that the laneway becomes a very emotionally charged place and that people’s experiences there are powerful and motivating.

Melbourne has a great laneway design culture, do you think Sydney needs to allow more of this sort of thing?

It can’t hurt. I think Sydney could benefit from a lot more activity on a simpler scale. These things need not be expensive or glamourous. I’m not sure that it the laneway location that is important – perhaps it it the tone and approach that is more vital.

Is it possible for a designer to make a positive change, if they spent all day working for the people who are helping destroy the world?

This is impossible to answer here. I think we would need a week of discussion to even scratch the surface of this issue. I think this question is relevant to almost every sector of business today – not just design. It is a question for the way we all live and work. I would hope that if we all make small steps things can get better.

Mark Gowing _ EyeSaw

Melbourne recently got a $240K logo facelift and the council came under fire for not selecting a local firm for the job, was the criticism valid?

No.