Graphic design is a form of visual communication that—through the use of colors, type, and imagery—can offer fresh interpretations of modern culture and social critique. Seoul-based designer duo Pa-i-ka believes that the power of design can’t be understated, viewing it as the best way of presenting and amplifying a message in modern times. Their studio’s creative output, closely rooted in Korean culture, is setting new benchmarks for design standards in the country. This mindfulness towards balancing aesthetics with approachability has made them a name to watch out for in the international design scene.
Pa-i-ka was founded in 2015 by graphic designers Lee Su-hyang and Ha Ji-hoon, two self-described “polar opposites.” Since starting their studio, they’ve worked with a number of commercial brands, including Korea’s National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Film Festival for Women’s Rights, and more. Wielding a diverse visual vocabulary, their colorful designs are always delightfully unpredictable. Even when faced with a difficult creative brief, the duo is always able to incorporate a playful spin that’s uniquely theirs. “Usually, we’ll try to better understand the design needs,” Lee says. “We don’t usually think about a project as being commercial or personal. We want our vision to be diverse.“
在平面设计领域，别出心裁的图案和颜色，往往赋予社会与文化更丰富多元的视角。坐标韩国首尔的 Pa-i-ka 设计工作室以丰富著称，他们认为设计是当今世界另一种发声的有力道具。在一幅幅赏心悦目的平面设计背后，工作室呈现的是韩国社会文化语境下的新时代美学标准。同时，Pa-i-ka 在个人审美与公众价值之间做足了思考，帮助他们在商业上获得了不小的成功。
Pa-i-ka 成立于 2015 年，由韩国平面设计师 Lee Su-hyang 和 Ha Ji-hoon 创立。自称 “个性迥异” 的二人，至今已帮助韩国国立现当代艺术博物馆（MMCA Korean Branch）、韩国女权电影节（film festival for Women’s Rights）等大大小小的机构和活动出产平面设计工作。对应的是，他们的设计风格并不局限在某一特定的范围之内，而是以丰富的颜色与灵活的方式呈现，有时一个严肃的主题在他们的设计中也会变得活泼起来，“通常情况下，我们会先了解设计内容背后，然后进行思维扩散。并不会刻意平衡商业与个人，而是找到我们想要的事物多样性。”
Neocha: What do you like the most about design? What does design mean to you?
Pa-i-ka: Design is an expression of our inner selves. It’s a way for us to present who we are. The type of design work we take on nowadays is quite broad actually.
Neocha: From 2015 to now, how has Pa-i-ka maintained their vision? Have your creative philosophies changed over time?
Pa-i-ka: Every design project is a memorable experience, and as such, we want to bring something fresh to every piece of work. There’s always new value that we’re seeking out. It’s also this value that we’re trying to communicate to viewers. As for change, we’re changing every year, every month, every day. Every hour even. Our thought process towards design is always evolving. We like to unearth new discoveries, to plumb the unseen, to discover the value of things. We don’t want to do the same thing over and over again.
Neocha: 设计最吸引你们的是什么？设计对于你们来说意味着什么？
Pa-i-ka: 我们的设计起步于表达自己内心的事物和想法。对于我们来说，设计是表达自我的途径，也是展示我们的方式。目前，我们负责设计的领域非常广泛。
Neocha: 从 2015 年至现在，Pa-i-ka 如何保持高效的工作方式？设立理念发生过怎样的变化？
Pa-i-ka: 每一次设计都是令人印象深刻的经历。因此，每一部设计作品都会创造新的价值，这也是我们一直尝试挖掘的内容。当我们找到事物的价值，便会进一步想办法让更多的人意识到价值的存在。从创立至今，每年、每月、甚至每一天、每小时，我们的设计理念都无时无刻不在发生着变化。我们常常喜欢发现事物的多样性，寻找事物更具有价值的含义；并尝试避免每次都重复做一样的事情。
Neocha: Culture, art, and society are the main sources of inspiration for you. But what would you say the crux of your creative drive is?
Pa-i-ka: It begins with asking ourselves the most important question of all: “What do we really want to do?” Through that, we can then at culture, art, and society. We’re in an era of unending media cycles and bottomless feeds, and our work is a way for us to filter and interpret this overwhelming load of output.
Neocha: What do you think makes a designer great?
Pa-i-ka: I don’t think that exists. The reason is that everyone is an individual with their own personal values. Design shouldn’t be classified as good or bad—everyone should be respected for their individuality.
Neocha: 从创立至今，文化、艺术和社会观察一直是 Pa-i-ka 创作的主要驱动力。而激发你们创作最核心的动力是什么？
Pa-i-ka: 我们最大的关注点是 “我们真正想做什么？”，并带着这样的线索不断向文化、艺术和社会观察延伸。我们处于实时新闻的互联网时代，通过这样的方式我们可以找到更加多样的素材和视角。
Neocha: 你们认为一个出色的设计工作室需要具备哪些要素？
Pa-i-ka: 世上本没有绝对的出色，以及好坏之分。原因是每个人的存在都是独特的，我们分担着不同的价值。设计领域不应该用好与坏来衡量，每一人都应该尊重彼此的独特性。
Neocha: What do you think the role of design is in the modern world?
Pa-i-ka: I’m not sure what the goal is. We are concerned with value and diversity. I think contemporary design is important in that people are more conscious of it—beautiful design can be found everywhere. The value of design will only increase.
The works of Pa-i-ka and Shanghai based design studio Kau Kau will be exhibited at Xi’an’s Protopaper for the next month.
Date:
January 22 to February 22, 2020
Location:
Shiji Dongyuan 4, Room 201
Yanta District, Xi’an
China
Neocha: 你们认为设计在当今世界扮演着怎样的角色？
Pa-i-ka: 我们并没有明确的目标，不过我们非常关注 “价值” 和 “多样性”。我们认为设计在当今世界中扮演的角色是至关重要的。在任何地方，你都会发现有关设计的故事，越来越多的人在一起做有关设计的事情，设计的价值也会变得愈加闪耀。
马上，Pa-i-ka 与上海设计工作室 Kau Kau 的作品将会在西安独立出版平台 Protopaper 进行展出。
日期:
2020年1月22日～2月22日
地址:
陕西省西安市雁塔区
试剂东苑4号楼201室
中国
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Website: pa-i-ka.org
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Contributor: Pete Zhang
