I have chosen to interview Autonomous Design Group as I feel I could learn a lot from them. I am intrigued to find out how they operate. I am eager to learn more about designers who don't work for corporations and who don't even work for profit. I also chose this design group because it is something I can envision myself being involved in - integrity to my own values is important to me within my creative practice.
Interview response:
How did the group get started?
P: Well a few of us were doing designs for various left wing groups like RENT STRIKE and we decided we wanted to form something concrete and collaborative like the atelier populaire of May 1968, to work on these posters collectively so as to enhance the effect our work could have. We put out a launching announcement on twitter and asked if people wanted to join.
How do you each operate on a day to day basis? (work commitments, work life balance,
working structure etc)
B: Work life balance? Idk her. Okay, to be more serious - you gotta prioritise. Don’t take on too much at once, set realistic deadlines that work for you. Sometimes design work has to take the back burner because that’s the sitch of the capitalist world. I usually block out what time I have for things to do in a day or week - it’s mostly a matter of if I think I’ll be in the right
mindset to do design work then or something else.
L: I suck at this. I’m sitting at the computer for hours these days doing design, writing and conference calls until my partner peels me away. I’m trying to remember that great line that “you’re worth so much more than your productivity”, but to be real, that’s tough when you really believe in what you’re doing. And also with the pandemic! I was getting a lot out of swimming and boxing before everything closed up, but you need to take breaks. Decolonize this Place wrote this great line in their most recent text that “we share, we walk, we do not run because we are going very far.” I try to remember these are generational struggles, not sprinting contests. We have a long way to
go, take care of yourself so you don’t burn out.
How many contributors do you have?
P: There are currently 7 of us working together collaboratively - we don’t like to think of
ourselves as contributors to a group but a collaborative project if that makes sense.
Do you know where in the world everybody is from?
P: Yes! Currently, we’re based in various cities over the UK + Berlin (from Canada originally)
How much of an impact do you think graphic design can have/ has had in the past over the
way society has developed/ is developing?
B: Damn, where to begin? It’s a visual medium and design movements are all very
recognisable. Design is influenced by the politics of the designer. To name one known
example, you can see this with the Bauhaus design movement - design for the masses calls
for mass production and so something simple and ergonomic. So out of politics comes
design but then out of design comes politics: design becomes a liberating and unifying
mouthpiece. And of course, don’t forget Emory Douglas and the Black Panthers, or the art
that is made and continues to be made for LGBT liberation. And have you seen the swathes
of Palestinian art out there? You can also look at the reverse - where is the, let’s be honest,
shit design coming from? It’s all this souless churned out bullshit from corporations (you
seen them minimalist memes?), business parties (looking at you Labour), lib cAuSEs. So in
short, yes, graphic design can and continues to have an impact on the way society develops
because of its intertwined relationship with politics.
How do you stay motivated to be creative in such an oppressive world?
B: I guess I find a release and a comfort in design. Not only is it a tool to fight against and
change this shit system but the arts - like many things, mind - were not made for this
capitalist and colonialist world. The best designs are from communist spaces. Design
enables you to show a visual way forward - it makes change seem more possible. Also, it’s
so fucking fun. I will 10/10 draw instead of doing so many other things. Saying that, you’ve
gotta take breaks. You can’t expect to be continually motivated and to always be drawing -
those dips in design action aren’t a bad thing, either. I enjoy writing, reading, eating, talking
to friends, organising, sleeping. It ain’t your whole life and that’s part of what makes it
special.
L: I use art as a tool for connection and also as self therapy. I don’t want to fetishize hardship, because it’s pretty difficult to prioritize making art when you’re worried about how you’re going to pay rent, but I do think in some ways creativity comes from struggle. I go back to art again and again because it’s helping me survive this world in more ways than one. Making art helps me make connections with others and provide material support; feeling useful and connecting with like minded folks is motivating.
Do you experience ‘imposter syndrome’ and if so, do you have any tips for coping with it?
P: OMG ALL THE TIME. Keep a little folder of praise on my computer and designs that have
been put up IRL. We’re mostly self-taught so particularly susceptible to this.
B: This question really hits - being critical of your work is part of the nature of design, especially as it is something you judge by a first glance. Everything I make I think looks dog shit. But it helps being part of a group - design should in no way be an individualistic endeavour. Being in a group acts as reassurance and enables us to grow: we critique each other's work - that means praise as well as working out what’s wrong - but most importantly, we work together to find out how designs can be improved. Also, take breaks - a fresh pair of eyes can more easily spot the good and the bad. Your designs themselves do not define you either - understand that everything is a process and your design journey will have ups and downs :)
L: I saw a meme the other day that said “are you even good enough to have imposter
syndrome?” and was like...oh no. So, yeah. :) I got no big tips, but I think the group dynamic
is especially helpful for this! Put together a collective and congratulate each other on how
awesome you are until you all believe it!
What do you do outside of Autonomous Design Group?
B: I’m a student lmao so reading, lectures, and essays is it right now. Like most people in ADG I’m self taught. I’m very fortunate that my family is very creative - they’ve got much better skills than me ahaha - which means I have been able to have a closer relationship to art compared to others. I took a couple art subjects in the good old days of compulsory
education which taught me jack shit - that’s the Tories for you - so it was mostly through
learning from my peers, my family, and being observant that I have found comfort in design.
L: I’m back in school at the moment, but I took a lot of time away from that and have had a ton of jobs over the years doing all kinds of things: working in greenhouses, landscape
construction, retail, florist, English teacher, different kinds of writing or editing work. Nobody
in my family is into art or design stuff, so I was always a bit of an odd one out, trying to figure
these things out as I went. Right now I’m kept busy with a lot of different organizing projects
in housing and abolitionist struggles that I feel really lucky to be involved in, but the casualty
is that work life balance!
How is your group organised/ structured?
P: We have a Slack group we organise through, with different channels for projects we’re
working on. Most of us have not met each other irl, both because of the pandemic and our
geographic separation. Having said that, we think we’ve done a good job of recreating
physical organising spaces online. There’s no firm hierarchy in place, everything is pretty
evenly distributed though of course some people have more time to offer to the project than
others. We’re very keen on breaking down informal hierarchies of power tbh, most of us are
self taught so we come at it with the angle of trying to remove this idea of the individual
artist, because there’s a lot of social capital that comes along with being like, “This is my
work, this is mine, look at what I did, look at me.” Instead, our designs are produced
collectively - maybe someone comes up with the concept, but then others will give feedback.
By releasing it under ADG, it produces this much more collective work. It’s also about
sharing our knowledge and skills among each other.
B: We also work on top of “each others’” work - like if someone starts off a Photoshop file, a few of us might jump on and add more edits. And yeah, on sharing skills and knowledge - we
have different channels on Slack to share things we’ve found on the internet that have
helped us. Sharing Photoshop and Illustrator files also means we can see how things have
been done. And don’t forget video calls - we do ‘em every so often to catch up and hash out
ideas for where to take ADG next.
P: And lastly, I would love to create a poster for your group - are you accepting submissions?
Unfortunately we don’t accept submissions - but we are accepting new members if you want
to send your portfolio through.
REFLECTION
I like that the group is organised with everybody having equal power - there is no 'boss'. It also really struck home with me what they all said about not equating your productivity to your self-worth - as a chronically ill person, I'm constantly berating myself for resting and not being 'productive'. I am starting to unlearn the idea that productivity=worth as I learn more about the way our society is structured - this idea is perpetuated by capitalism and only applied to poor people. I'm learning that it's ok to give myself a break, and it's necessary for me to be well rested and healthy in order to be creative at all. Overall, I was relieved at the casual tone they replied in - I think it's stupid how formal we all have to be as soon as anything is relating to 'work'. Of course, I know how to act professionally when necessary, but it's draining to put on a front constantly. I am hoping my future work practice will allow me to be myself.
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