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Design is a small planet, often self-referential, with well-worn paths for
exposition, criticism and analysis. When we contemplated devoting an
issue to self-promotion, we were acutely aware of certain tropes. The
usual way of portraying self-promotion by designers would be to focus
on the projects they use to market themselves and their firms—the
postcards, the tchotchkes, the e-newsletters, etc. But we decided right
away this issue would not be about that stuff.
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Field Guide to Emerging Design Talent 2006 (cont'd) |
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RIGHT: PEACE POSTER, Designed in December 2004 for a peace rally held in Pennsylvania. Lindsay Balland and Brian Lightbody conceived, executed, and distributed the poster in the space of three days. “We are both quite happy with the results,” says Ballant. “Especially after the events of this past year—as it seems the powers that be are literally ‘crumbling from the inside’ before our eyes.” (LEFT) TOP: Ballant works with Peter Buchanan Smith on the Art Direction of the monthly style magazine, PAPER. The intended audience? “The old guard, the new guard, the avant garde, the off-guard,” says Ballant. BOTTOM: FREEDOM OF THE PRESS NEWSPAPER, created in March 2004. “We created a blueprint from the idea of using cited facts to explain the situation of the news media, while commenting on the state of newspapers—i.e., the lack of viable content,” Ballant says.
When she graduated from SVA, Lindsay Ballant’s portfolio was a
well-designed argument on why portfolios don’t have to show student
work. “It should show students going above and beyond the
call of duty,” she says. “So I explained the thoughts behind my
ideas, because it’s the ideas that count.” Ballant’s determination
to question the establishment surfaces in the stacks of intelligent
projects that surround her computer. She also happens to have
some really beautiful ideas.
Peter Buchanan-Smith met Ballant when he subbed one of her
classes and she soon turned up on his doorstep with an offer to
intern. “The best designer is a real student,” says Buchanan-Smith.
“She has a thirst to grow and learn, which is so important.” He
quickly brought Ballant in on book and music projects, including
the critically acclaimed rock companion The Wilco Book: Picturebox.
When Buchanan-Smith was hired as the creative director of Paper
Magazine, Ballant took the desk next to his.
Putting in days at the gorgeously unapologetic style rag of
record makes for a self-described “double life” when it comes to
design, namely because Ballant is also immersed in an ongoing
series of guerilla political projects. Issues of Freedom of the Press
appear in various commandeered newsstands around New York,
aiming to set the facts straight about how America gets its news—
and resulting in plenty of media exposure for Ballant and her
partner, Brian Ponto. So what’s the future for Ballant—social commentator,
book-smart designer, or creative force behind glitterati
bibles? Yes. “I like things that are undefined,” says Ballant. “But it
makes it hard to tell people what I do.”
Alissa Walker |
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