Erik Kessels

Confusion makes the world go round

TYPO Berlin 2015 Character | Saturday, 23 May | 6:00 pm | Hall | English

Humans instinctively steer clear of violence, confrontations, daytime television and bears. Above all, we try to avoid complications.

Our greatest desire is to live an uncomplicated life, and yet our greatest misfortune is that life has become so fast-paced and convoluted that simplicity has become an impossible goal.

Most advertising and design achieves simplicity (and avoids complications) by portraying perfection.

It is possible that in our endless search for clarity and calmness as an antidote to the chaos in our lives, we have created a society obsessed with the superficial, over-simplification and idealised perfection.

I believe complications, confusion and accidents should be embraced and loved, not deleted.

Complications bring tension, surprise and unexpected beauty to life – and therefore to advertising and design.

Chaos is like a rollercoaster without brakes. Enjoy the ride.

Erik Kessels

Erik Kessels

Designer, Artist, Curator (Amsterdam)

Born in 1966, lives and works in Amsterdam. Erik Kessels is a Dutch artist, designer and curator with great interest in photography. Erik Kessels is since 1996 Creative Director of communications agency KesselsKramer in Amsterdam and works for national and international clients such as Nike, Diesel, J&B Whisky, Oxfam, Ben, Vitra, Citizen…

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