A+M

PEOPLEText: Sachiko Kurashina

“A’+M” from Brazil and Venezuela made the first cover design for 2003. Their work was chosen in “Shift Calendar Competition” and their impressive work can be found in February page. Through the interview with them, you would feel their homage to Latin America and an energetic adventurous spirit to accept any challenges.

Please introduce A’+M.

A’+M is a collab design project formed by Clarissa Tossin (A’) + Miguel Vasquez (M).

As you participate in many art collaborations and experiments, is the idea of association important in your way of working?

A’+M: Exchanging is an easy way to learn, accept and respect different points of view. When a collab is A + there is no doubt the result will be pleasant. There are lots of collaboration levels, A’+M do together but we also appreciate to exchange more subtle things as impressions and toughts.

Hummm… actually we are very open to exchange with people that are able to inspire or to be inspired by the process of doing add skills and work with friends is a deal. For exemple, January Shift cover had a collaboration of a Brazilian friend, the sound designer, NLSOD.

In which way does A’+M collaborate together?

A’: I prefer cooking than washing dishes.

M: I’m the one who cooks… she always washes the dishes. 🙂

Are there any projects you particularly enjoyed making together?

A’+M: LATINO published by Die Gestalten Verlag… because it was the first project we did get together. The SPFW (Sao Paulo fashion Week CD for TRAMA) were images are related to movement and expanssion taking inspiration directly from music, fashion: Carnaval of Recife/Nord East from Brasil and the idea of “Giramundo” a toy made of fabric laces that rotate with the wind.

Can you tell us more about your way of producing images?

A’: Ping-pong. No rules to beginning or ending. The same way everyone that works together should do.

M: A form can start all or bring the work to another level… by modulate it or taking it as another starting point to develop a graphic system based in the same form and possibly for the same piece or concept but taked to another media.
For the Shift cover that happened with the font that came up based in the main graphics used. We do and all is related in various levels… of form and function.

Where are you living now?

M: Caracas, Venezuela.
A’: Sao Paulo, Brasil.

Please tell us some words about your country, and the art scene around you?

A’: There is a scene of new artists, designers and musicians that in some way interact and develop works that represent a similar or complementary production. National, Femur, Quinta-feira, Cisma, Hurtmold are some names but there are much more than these people committed to find a personnal way of expression.

M: “Ni un paso atras…” Caracas is chaotic by nature, mountains versus concrete. In the more complex moments the new art scene or people themselves find the best way to express and do it in brand new ways, like MASA, Tohyto, SIMPL3, Magnetofonica, Trece, Dr.Muu y La Marina Mercante for example… people that need to do and by so… doing inside-outside Venezuela…. physicaly or virtualy is not an issue anymore.

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