Once a year graphic designers and illustrators of Austria gather together to showcase their designs, see the latest trends, make new connections and business ventures, and discuss the pressing issues of their craft. This year Werkschau took place is the Alte Bankzentrale right in the heart of the First District of Vienna, and I popped by to see what all the fuzz was about.
First off I’d like to thank the organizers on picking such great spot. As the event took place during the first truly hot days of the year, escaping the sun to the cool, airconditioned office halls was amazing. I’ve always loved the creativity of the Vienna design scene, never offering what was excepted and always managing to surprise. This time was no different. Besides the large lecture room in the lobby, the event took place on the second floor filled with tiny office rooms one next to each other. Each designer, collective or company was given one, which they had decorated as they wanted, building impressive mini-exhibitions of their work. Walking from one room to another, I was inspired by the creativity of the displays, and the level of the workmanship.
With over two dozen rooms, and over 35 designers showcasing or lecturing at Werkschau, one could get a pretty good over view what’s happening in the graphic & illustration scene of Austria. With some visiting international designers thrown in the mix, including TwoPoint.net from Barcelona and Fons Hickmann m23 from Berlin, it was great to see the comparison and level of the artists.
While visiting on the second day of the event, I sat down to listen the lectures of Anna Fahrmaier from Typejockeys and Bureau Rabenseiner (which both we’re written about previously) and then sneeked back upstairs to have the whole floor almost to myself. But, as I often learn myself, talking about design, is never quite the same as experiencing it first hand (well here second hand), so I’ve made a photo lineup through which you can experience the event yourself. But make sure to mark up the date for next year, as I wan’t to see as many as you there as possible!
Incredible pencil drawn portraits by Roland Vorlaufer
Stencil work by Christian Korherr
Milk Studio‘s flower presentation was wonderful, the smell was incredible!
Studio Es’s ( Verena Panholzer) monochrome work
Soybot’s illustration machine was a hit!
Walking on paper…you even got a tiny little bag of it to go, confetti to everyone!
Austrian artist Nora Groth at work
Illustrations by Michael Hacker
Typejockeys typographic madness
Stunning detail of DEEAIT x CREATES work.
Live graffiti painting was done front outside, by artist Vunik
Photos courtesy by your truly