The Impossibility of Silence

Onomatopee 176

March Wednesday 9, 2022, 03:00 - 05:00 / Talk / lecture

AIGA presents Ian Lynam on 'The Impossibility of Silence: Writing for Designers, Artists & Photographers'

the AIGA and Artbook | D.A.P. present Ian Lynam,
author of The Impossibility of Silence: Writing for Designers, Artists & Photographers, published by Onomatopee Projects.

Livestream with Q&A
Wednesday, March 9, at 8PM EST / 5PM PST,

Despite the seemingly common expectation that art should be able to speak for itself, creators are often asked to explain the process behind their work, their experiences in their vocation, and, perhaps most dauntingly, the meaning conveyed by any particular piece. Drawing upon his own unique career trajectory across multiple fields as a writer, designer and teacher, Tokyo-based artist Ian Lynam offers readers a variety of approaches to writing about creative fields.

Called "the Hunter S. Thompson of design writing," Lynam uses his industry knowledge and sharp sense of humor to convey his philosophy on writing specifically in a professional creative setting. This volume is not so much a straightforward how-to guide on how to write an artist’s statement as it is an honest meditation on how difficult—and how important—it is for creators to have the facilities to articulate the ethos behind their own work. Lynam encourages readers to think of the blank page as another sort of canvas, a space of potential, a landscape on which an artist may explore themselves and their work farther than they thought possible. Lynam provides both inspirational text as a jumping-off point for readers as well as concrete techniques in terms of craft.

Location

Wednesday, March 9
8PM EST / 5PM PST

LIVESTREAM: see link

Location

Wednesday, March 9
8PM EST / 5PM PST

LIVESTREAM: see link

link

Onomatopee 176, Ian Lynam, 2020

The Impossibility of Silence

Writing for Designers, Artists & Photographers

€ 20

Sold out

THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF SILENCE is a book for artists, designers and photographers interested in approaching writing about their vocation and culture. Drawing upon decades of experience as a writer, designer, artist and teacher, Ian Lynam offers up a plethora of inspirational and concrete approaches to writing about creative fields.

“Joyfully and skillfully straddling the line between creator and critic, theorist and practitioner, formalist and rebel, American and expatriate, serious analyst and humorous deconstructor, Ian Lynam always brings a wholly original perspective to his writing on design. The insights are always fresh, and the stakes are always extremely high.”
- W. David Marx, author of Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style.

“Lynam is a bitingly humorous writer - gifted with the intuition to give stories depth.”
- Lars Harmsen, Slanted Magazine

Lynam adeptly juggles platters of diverse knowledge that include history, theory, philosophy, humanities, and the gamut of pop culture.”
– Louise Sandhaus, author of Earthquakes Mudslides Fires & Riots: California & Graphic Design, 1936-1986

“Ian Lynam is the Hunter S. Thompson of design writing.”
– Sereina Rothenberger, Jan Van Eyck Academie