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Fonk for Thoughts: Ton Giesbergen
Ton Giesbergen is more than a passionate Dutch logo creator. What are his Fonk for Thoughts?
 Ton Giesbergen: "A good logo is a logo that you can feel." BlogFonk: Who is Ton Giesbergen? Where are you from? Giesbergen: I once was co-founder of TBWA Amsterdam. Now I am (1) a passionate logo creator, (2) an artist and (3) a gallery owner in The Jordaan in Amsterdam. BlogFonk: Do you love your work? Why (not)? Giesbergen: I am an artist, living and working in an artistic neighbourhood. I work with a lot of artists, so what more do I need? BlogFonk: What is Dutch Logo Design all about? Giesbergen: Dutch Logo Design is about creating logos that reflect the philosophy and mentality of a company. The icons I create must express the soul and values in the most essential way. My motto is: "A good logo is a logo that you can feel". BlogFonk: Is there difference in mentality of creatives in the countries you've worked? Giesbergen: Wherever I travelled I saw the same traffic signs and they are understood everywhere. Good creatives make essential strong minimalistic iconic communication ideas like that. They have struggled themselves out of their cultural limitations. But to be honest, I also met too many creatives who couldn't free themselves of their cultural limitations. BlogFonk: What are the latest important developments you've noticed in design? Giesbergen: Modern designing techniques too often lead to hiding the real essence of the message. When "perspective" was invented in art a large followings jumped on it, and the "anaforism" was done by everyone. The image is stretched so much that you can only "see" it from one angle (like the "stretched" bike you see in the Dutch streets). Freaking like that has a lot to do with "being arty", it is seldom true art or true communication.  BlogFonk: Which project are you most proud of? Giesbergen: The logo I created for the Queen and his Prime Minister's office, to celebrate 50 Years of Liberation in The Netherlands in 1995. The idea was there in a split second: a torch with a flame designed as a peace dove. But it took me fourteen full days to find the exact shape. The committee that was formed to approve the final design consisted of many groups representing victims, survivors, families of slaughtered ethnincs groups, but also politicians, military staff and organizers for youthfestivals and school programs. Fifteen different representatives all having their own emotions. A recipe for a slow, never ending decision making process. Almost everybody felt it represented their feelings and her majesty Queen Beatrix approved it instantly when it was shown to her. The logo still is the icon of all national memorials and Liberation festivals. It has become part of our national iconic set. BlogFonk: If you'd be given the chance to do something over again, what would that be? Giesbergen: Nothing. I don't have any idea. Life is the best teacher. It made me what I am, a man with compassion. BlogFonk: Finally, what is your motto, your "Fonk for Thoughts" (inspiration to be creative)? Giesbergen: Design is like religion, the further the source, the more frills. |
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posted by BlogFonk: Friday, April 29, 2005 [#] Erms Suripatty