Erik Brandt is a graphic designer and educator who's been active since the mid-90s. He's currently Chair of the Design Department and Professor of Graphic Design at Minneapolis College of Art and Design in Minnesota.
A member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale, you’ll certainly be familiar with his work. From 2013 to 2018, he curated Ficciones Typografika, an acclaimed project dedicated to typographic exploration in a public space –that has since been celebrated in a book of the same name.
Erik began his career as a cartoonist in Japan in 1994, where he discovered a love for graphic design. Since then, his focus has been in print media. With his own design studio, Typografika, his work has been published and exhibited internationally and he has also received acclaim for his "very, very silly short films".
In this episode, we talk about the twists and turns of Erik's interesting career. We hear more about those days he spent in Japan, his experience as an amateur cyclist, and various proud projects along the way. We chat about the joy of teaching graphic design, how the next generation of creatives are different from any generation he's met before, and why he's hopeful for the future. As always, we don't focus too much on the work, as we love to find out more about the person behind the brand. A warm and comforting chat that also delves into music, friendships, and the joy of travel.
