Binger Laucke Siebein

Things that feel a little off... that questions 'ugly? or pretty?' are what peeks Dirk's interest! Keeping up to date with whats changing around him Dirk has a keen focus on the young ones — 'These young people will be my competitors in a very short time. I must know exactly what is going on.' We're with Dirk on staying young at heart ❤️.  Dirk is one of the three that create Binger Laucke Siebein— Daniel Binger, Dirk Laucke and Johanna Siebein, read on to hear what's inspired him and how he started out.

What are some of your earliest creative memories and what lead you into design?

My mother was a kindergarten teacher and therefore she always thought it was important for children to draw and tinker. This of course had nothing to do with art but with pedagogy. I learned early that I had much attention and praise from my mother when I showed her drawings that I had made. So I drew a lot. A foreshadow that I could possibly make money with this, I got on an album by Bob Dylan. I found Dylan incredibly cool and wanted to be like him, but I realised that this was too high. I could not play guitar and I was not an American. But the album—Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits—was equipped with a poster made by Milton Glaser. This poster is, in my opinion, still one of the best works graphic-design has to offer. The black silhouette of Bob Dylan on white background with just his hair in colour. Coarse and brisk drawn. Today I know how difficult it is to make a poster that looks so simple, at the time I thought: if I can not be Bob Dylan, I will try to be Milton Glaser.

Where did you study and what were some of your first jobs?

I studied at the University of the Arts (UdK) in Berlin. Once a year there was a competition among the students for a poster and campaign of the largest Berlin art exhibition back then. This apparent implicitness, this  simpleness of the Dylan poster by Milton Glaser was and still is a guide for me, I want my work to look simple. The viewer should always have the feeling: I can do that too. In any case, computers were still relatively new at the time, and my fellow students put themselves into the test, creating the most irrational and complex forms. I took a counter position by writing the name of the exhibition on the paper with a thick black pen. This simplicity in terms of concept and execution was likely a thing for the commission in any case, I had won the competition, resulting in my first customer who was loyal to me for many years.

Design work by Binger Laucke Siebein The Design Kids interviews Binger Laucke Siebein work-2

What do you look for in a great portfolio?

The intellectual and technical mastery of our discipline is, of course, a prerequisite. In addition, I look whether the portfolio shows something mind-boggling. I am not interested in the skilful handling of contemporary fonts, packaged in the spirit of time. That looks too good to me. I prefer work that dares to be slightly ugly. Something a bit off. Where the stereotypes about what is good and what does not look good is put to the test.

Are you involved in any teaching and if and how it shapes your practice?

I have been teaching at different art schools for many years. Apart from the fact that I have so much fun teaching, it is also important for my own work. First and foremost, I have the opportunity to share my knowledge to the students, as a side effect, I get a deep insight into the way of thinking of another generation. I am 50 years old and have to position myself in our company in an ever-changing industry. The biggest mistake a designer can make when he gets older, is to ridicule the ideas of the younger and take a 'Everything was better before' position. These young people will be my competitors in a very short time. I must know exactly what is going on.

Design work by Binger Laucke Siebein The Design Kids interviews Binger Laucke Siebein work-4
Design work by Binger Laucke Siebein The Design Kids interviews Binger Laucke Siebein work-4

I look whether the portfolio shows something mind-boggling. I am not interested in the skilful handling of contemporary fonts, packaged in the spirit of time. That looks too good to me. I prefer work that dares to be slightly ugly.

Where do you think design is heading in the next five years and how will you adapt?

This is a wide field. A lot is going to change, we've been aware of it for quite a while. The biggest problem seems to me the increasing economic marginalisation of graphic design. Graphic design will probably continue as an artistic, autonomous discipline with very small sales. I am afraid that within the next five years the offices with a too much of a narrow service will disappear. Therefore, it may be interesting to embed graphic design into much broader strategies. Advice that goes beyond problem solving.

How important is networking to you?

Probably this is very important. I know, however, very few people who are really good at networking. I’m certainly not one of those. It is also so difficult to be a good designer and a good networker at the same time. Both require so many different skills that often stand in the way of each other. A successful career starts with outstanding work. Based on this, a strong network is important. Just because someone is doing outstanding work, doesn't mean clients will suddenly appear. You constantly have to tell them that you are there.

Design work by Binger Laucke Siebein The Design Kids interviews Binger Laucke Siebein work-6
Design work by Binger Laucke Siebein The Design Kids interviews Binger Laucke Siebein work-6

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