Kevin,

How did you deal with the cultural influences in Montreal? I understand that it isn't as 'refined' as work that is done in the Netherlands... but I would think that your experiences here in Canada would help you to stand out.

Do you think the cultural borders for design are hard to go beyond?

Tanya

You could do far worse than allow yourself to be influenced by Dutch and Czech design and typography. Both have cultural heritages that far exceed anything you left behind in North America.

Roll with the punches and let them have at you. "you" aren't the you that arrived from Canada, you are the you of now.

most of all, congratulations on the move and please keep us informed.

> Now the question is, how do you balance your own voice with what you see around you, all within a foreign cultural context? I suppose the obvious answer is research, but how have you dealt with this experience?

Kevin, I can speak from experience. Adapt. Not give up on your design sensibilities though. When I moved to the US I could have easily employed a "traditionally mexican" design (not that I ever developed such thing) but I knew that if I wanted to stay here I needed to adapt to the design trends, if you will, of the US. I just didn't forget what I learnt the rest of my life. My cultural background is reflected in the way I am as a person, not in the way I design. Put me in Israel and I'll still be Mexican, but my design will reflect Israel's visual vocabulary. Otherwise you'll be like the tourist who wears shorts, sunglasses and a dab of sunscren on their nose anywhere they go.

> I've recently been contracted to do identity work for a Czech cultural organisation!

Makes you wish you would have done more corporate work than "propagandist" doesn't it? ; )

I think it sounds really exciting. I know that if it were me, I'd be soaking up as much as I could and definetely trying to emulate what I saw. Even if you do it badly at first, you'll be learning so much by letting your new surroundings influence you...and everything you brought with you will still be a part of you.

So, do you think I could get a work visa too?

as long as you stick to whatever you consider "good design" i don't think it matters which way to go and what ideas you incorporate. i think which direction and influences you'll take will happen naturally. i don't see a need to force one direction or another.

> i don't see a need to force one direction or another.

You are right. My "advice/experience" sounded more like an ultimatum. Wasn't the intention.

Kevin, I don't think you necessarily need to "deal with this experience" --I am using "deal" in the sense of struggle, or even rationalize.

I think that, with a little time, your environment permeates you, and adds all those extra layers onto the ones already in you (if you allow me the Photoshop-ish metaphor)

When I moved to the USA from Spain, three years ago, the differences were scary at first, but then all started connecting and I ended up with an approach to design that doesn't seem to be very different from the one I had before, only with more references/influences. Same thing that happened after brief periods working in Germany and France.

At the end of the day, the core values of your "voice" will remain the same, and while you work hard to emulate the styles around you, the people creating those styles are looking at your work as something new and original. Even exotic :)

Enjoy the experience!

Put your mind at ease...nothing is, or ever can be objective. Everything is filtered through culture, the medium, and then everyone's individual senses.

You're new to them, and they're new to you. That's why it's a cool experience. As Armin stated - you will adapt (as will they).

A few years back, I spent some time a German design school. I did a project that explored the differences between American and German cultures as I was experiencing them. It helped me sort the find the comfort point you're searching for.

I second Eric's comments - 'you' are not the Montreal 'you'. There's different experiences and a perspective where ever you go. Again - that's why travel is cool.

Kevin, the irony is too thick.

I may sound a tad negative, but you bring up one of the biggest pet peeves I have in graphic design. Or maybe it's people in general, but it kind of makes me chuckle when people go out and get their masters and everything they learn can't be applied to our tangible life as we know it......I mean c'mon it's a logo project.

Do some reserch, pick your colors, make it work - if it doesn't, blame it on your lack of real-life experience not on your inability to understand the way of an eastern European designer.

Does that make sense?

To answer your questions directly though - one, you'll be very sad to see a piece that you've finished but was only a retouch of another Dutch designer - I mean you didn't employ the copycatist approach in Montreal did you?

As far as dealing with a new culture - give them a few solutions and start a dialog, I mean the group probably has more than one objective they want you to address, and I'm pretty confident you'll be able to "translate" their needs into the same needs of a similar group in your own home town, right? We're all human, and for cripes sake you're in Europe not Asia!

You say proudly that the Czech "cultural" group contracted you, then what are you worried about anyways...they like your student work??? well then whatever system you used, I say employ it again, and remember if you show them a bunch of your "new european flavor" they may be pretty disappointed......

what looks new to you, is old to them.

What the heck do you actually study in these Master's programs, culinary traditions of the African pigme tribes?

love and understang,

k

I’d say that good design is good design everywhere. The same principles apply. There may be some cultural differences in things like colour meanings, symbols, etc., but those you’ll quickly pick up.

Thanks for the comments, but I think I may have put across the wrong sentiment in my original (hurried) post. It's not that I'm worried really, I just wanted to hear about other people's experiences with moving to new (design) cultures. More curiosity than concern.

It's just not something I thought too much about when I was living in Montréal. Others have brought it up, I definitely don't have a Montreal style, or a Canadian(heheh) style. And I don't think I'll acquire a 'Dutch' style, or a 'Czech' style either.

> Makes you wish you would have done more corporate work than "propagandist" doesn't it? ; )

Totally Armin, no need to rub it in though :P

So, do you think I could get a work visa too?

I can't even get a work visa, I'm being paid through a Canadian org. in Prague. The bureacracy here is so think. I'm still working on getting my Student Visa!

what looks new to you, is old to them.

Too true. The cows here blow me away!

What the heck do you actually study in these Master's programs, culinary traditions of the African pigme tribes

Something like that, with a touch of Foucault :)

Thanks again for the comments, but what I'm really interested in hearing about are other people's stories. So...

Without trying to over-intellectualize anything, I always remember how Mr What's-His-Name (ha ha) so eloquently stated "Style = Fart."

Living/working in a differeent country, or more importantly, within a different cultural setting, only has positive effects — at least, in regards to your design philosophy. Think of it as widening your design "knowledge base." This just gives you more freedom of choice to focus on the project at hand.

"Now the question is, how do you balance your own voice with what you see around you, all within a foreign cultural context?

I think you answered your own question. Balance.

...

On a different note, I studied there in Hilversum for a summer program several years ago. I was only there for 3 months, but the people I met, the things I learned continuously resurface and show themselves in my attitude and my work. I'm sorta going through the same thing now, living in Brasil. Just keeping my eyes wide open, soaking up as much stuff I can!

Anyhow, good luck to you. Have fun.

well, here's a resource for adapting your (literal) voice...

mp3 files of various english accents

found at The Morning News