Words by Steven Fernandez.
As the highly anticipated Semi-Permanent creative conference creeps another week closer, Remix was lucky enough to chat with one of the speakers who will be sharing his art and design inspiration at this year's event in Auckland. In our second week of Semi-Permanent profiles, Steven Fernandez spoke with Dutch digital designer Daan Lucas about his interactive media workshop Random Studio. Daan opened up about his growing studio based in Amsterdam, the kind of music he listens to and why he’s excited to visit New Zealand for the very first time.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and Random Studio?
My name is Daan Lucas, I’m 38 years old. I have an amazing wife and little boy. I have a studio with really nice people that care about each other. We work through different disciplines, online, installation and the moving image. We try not to be limited and always invite ourselves and our cleints to keep an open dialogue. Together we can hopefully come to create projects that involve the client, the end user and us. So I am a lucky man.
Why do you think you were chosen to speak at Semi-Permanent this year?
I think that we are interesting to listen to because our portfolios are diverse. This diversity is appealing since it’s not repetitive. As I said, we do not only work through different disciplines, but also work with different craftsman and/or artists to keep making work that has our signature, but feels different each time.
Have you ever been to Australia or New Zealand before? If so, what are you looking forward to coming back to? If not, what are you expecting?
Never. There are three Kiwis working at Random Studios and two Aussies so I’m really keen to meet some of their fellow countymen/women and culture. I would love to go into New Zealand’s nature but I probably don’t have time this time.
What advice can you give to growing agencies similar to yourself or those wanting to become an established digital creative?
This sounds “Beyonce-like”, but follow your heart… I get scared often, worried that I will not get enough jobs to pay everyone. Worried about this and that. But if I am calm, I feel that there is core strength in our company. If you can keep tapping into that, things will happen.
What is your greatest achievement and/or proudest piece of work?
The vibe in the studio. People do not gossip, they genuinely like each other. If there are issues we solve them so things do not start to rot.
You originally founded an events organization hosting nights, which played very obscure music and then started your own graphics studio Circus. Can you tell us how you went from one to the other and then found yourself with Random Studio?
I have always been fascinated by creating things. Creating things that would invite people to laugh, to cry, to dance, to interact. I am interested in starting projects that create some sort of openness. When I organized my parties back in the day it was just that. Trying to create an atmosphere where people would feel safe, surprised and were invited to let go and relate to something new.
Music seems to also be a big part of your life. Who do you listen to?
It depends. In the morning it’s jazz or sometimes Opera. I dance for my son. I love Radiohead or The Atoms for Peace while riding my bike through the city. And some hip-hop at the end of the day. I have been listening to this old David Bowie track called “My Death” and it’s really good.
Where would you like to take your business next? What else is on the horizon?
I would love to make or participate in making products. Products that are meaningful and made with love and attention. It would be great to play a part in a product that would be really good for the environment.
Outside of your job, what do you and your young family like to spend time doing?
I love to bike around with my boy. He sits behind a windscreen and makes all kinds of weird noises because he gets so excited. I play scrabble with my girl and always lose. I love drinking wine and debate art with my dear friend Geoffrey Lillemon.
Is there anybody else at Semi Permanent you are excited to listen to and/or meet? Why?
This sounds really diplomatic but I am interested to meet all of the other speakers. As we really like to work with different people it’s always interesting to meet artists and studios from different and the same disciplines. I would love to chat to Niklas Roy. He is doing work that is very interesting for us.
If you’re interested in hearing more from Daan Lucas and a huge host of other speakers at this year’s Semi-Permanent creative conference, then head over to www.the-edge.co.nz/semi-permanent to buy tickets. As if there aren’t already enough reasons for you to go along, we have a special promo code so you get 15% off the price of tickets. Enter the promo code “FRIEND” when you buy your tickets online to receive the 15% discount!
