Interview with Przemek Hajek
Born in Łódź in 1980. He began his studies in 2000 and in 2005 he obtained his master degree with honours in Professor Jerzy Treliński’s Visual Information Studio, a unit of the Department of Graphic…
Designer Interview
10 June 2022
I didn't want to become a designer when I was a child :-). My artistic education and career have taken many twists and turns. I was interested in photography, image, looking at the surrounding reality through the camera. I took entrance exams to the film school, I wanted to make movies. I didn't get accepted in the cinematography department and I had to "hunker down" not to be forced to join the army. I completed a year–long course at a post–secondary school where I learned traditional photography, drawing, all kinds of manual work... and finally I enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz. In the meantime I was a scholarship student in Finland and Denmark. After graduation, I did not want to return to Poland, I started planning my future in Copenhagen until one day my professor called me and invited me to work as his assistant at the Academy. At that point in my life I decided that I couldn't turn down such an offer. I packed my things, came back to Lodz and started working at the Academy. Now I am an academic teacher myself :-)
I run the Graphic Identification Studio at the Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz and I am in charge of the POWIDOKI magazine. I have my own studio at home and I try to do my own projects in the meantime, although there is not enough time for everything.
Design for me is an adventure and exploration of the world. Every project is different and with every project I learn something and meet new people – this is a great value. I like what I do.
I like the design process, coming up with ideas, sketching, thinking, observing, looking for answers... I like paper...
I really like designing for cultural institutions. For years I have been cooperating with various publishers, institutions, theatres. For several years I have had the pleasure of creating POWIDOKI at the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz and this project absorbs me almost 100%. So without any doubt POWIDOKI is my favorite project.
I've been dealing with visual communication for over 20 years – there's been a bit of that. I think one of the first commercial things was... an advertisement made for a company in a national magazine. But who remembers that.
Graphic design is both printing and digital world. I like digital and I have (probably) had most projects (webs, apps, web campaigns, social-media world) in this area. I love printed stuff, so running the POWIDOKI magazine gives me great joy and is a breather from the digital world.
In the morning when I run, while driving and late at night. I need to have space to think.
Certainly what is crucial is thinking out of the box, brainstorming. When you have good and interesting ideas, you can bring them to life through a variety of means. You have to look for inspiration and things that motivate you to act and think.
Excitement, fear, also uncertainty... a mixture of all extreme emotions :-)
Happiness.
It is a combination of many factors. Consistency, determination and above all confidence in what you are doing.
Hmmm, I never look at it that way. Designers realize their projects for someone, the customers in my opinion are most important. At every stage of your work you have to think about what and for whom you are designing, it's part of our job.
It is great! There is a saying: when you want to change the world, start with yourself.
Everything we do has an impact on the reality around us, so in every possible aspect of our lives we should think about it and if possible put it into practice. Now we have released an issue about ecodesign where there is plenty of talk about the designer's responsibility.
Everything we do has an impact on the reality around us, so in every possible aspect of our lives we should think about it and if possible put it into practice. Now we have released an issue about ecodesign where there is plenty of talk about the designer's responsibility.
Recent years show that change is inevitable and very fast. Technology determines many life processes, including design. Let's remember that automation of processes is a great facilitator. There is a human behind everything, a person who has feelings, emotions, needs... All of this should be skillfully combined.
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My latest exhibition took place at the Philharmonic Hall in Lodz in 2019 and showcased the collection of posters designed for cultural institutions. The next exhibition (I hope) will take place at the Academic Design Center at the end of this year. There is a number of interesting projects and proposals. Hopefully, it will be possible to show the output of POWIDOKI magazine and its history not only in Poland, but also abroad.
Inspiration comes unexpectedly. Sometimes you read an interesting book, meet someone, talk about something interesting... I have a few rituals: first of all running, travelling and the morning coffee. I like to stare at the sky, at trees, the sea and think. :-)
I used to think that I did not have any distinctive style. Over the years I see that many of my designs have something in common... I analyze it all the time. Design is changing along with me. I used to think differently when I was 20, I have a different approach to the world and design when I am 42, a dad, husband, etc... Currently, I consider design to be task-based and I am constantly looking for space to implement my own ideas, projects that arise from an internal need.
I live in the middle of Europe, in Poland, near Lodz, in the forest. I feel the heritage of Lodz, the modernist orientation of our academy... I consider myself a citizen of the world, Europe. There are many bad things that are happening in Poland. I don't identify with them, I try to move forward, find solutions, not to get upset by politics. I believe that it will be better, I try to be optimistic about the future, though sometimes it is really hard.
It depends, usually they are specific commissions for designing a book, cover, brand campaign... More and more often I am invited as an expert, which makes me really happy.
It depends on what kind of company it is. If we talk about large, global corporations it is usually tenders and competitions. How to choose a good designer? It is a difficult question. In my case it is based on working out communication and understanding with the client, a certain process – this is where I see success. If you want to go against the flow, get your own way, without considering the other side, you are doomed to failure from the very beginning. If there is a chemistry between you and the other party, many adversities can be overcome, just like in love.
It is a process. I don't like to think about one thing for a long time. I sketch, I look out of the window, I listen to music. Sometimes I postpone something... and suddenly after a few years I come back to it. I'm in a constant design process. Each designer is a creator.
A piece of paper, a pencil, an ipad, and maybe a sofa.
It depends on what kind of day it is. If we're talking about, for example, Monday, a workday, I get up around 7:00 a.m., take the dog for a walk, make some quick oatmeal, drink coffee, drive my son to school, go to the academy to have classes with students, then I drop in to the publishing office for a couple of hours, figure out what needs to be done, have a quick lunch, pick up my son from school, arrive home, spend time with my family, go for a walk with the dog, go jogging. In the evening I go to the studio and depending on the amount of work I stay there until midnight. I try not to go to bed late, I prefer to get up in the morning. Since I have had my own garden, coffee in the morning on the grass tastes delicious and makes my day.
Be consistent in what you do and don't give up. Every failure is an element of success. Listen to people and work on yourself. Life is full of surprises.
The positive aspect of a designer's work is certainly a kind of creative freedom and the moment when they can actually taste, touch what they have designed. If people like it, that is happiness. The negatives... as in any job, some things become routine and you need to work on them and look for new challenges. Being able to manage your time is crucial.
Approach each project as if it were your last project.
Definitely the ability to visualize your ideas, your thoughts. You have to work on every part of yourself all the time.
Pencils, scissors, a camera, laptop, scanner, printer, adobe package, design books, albums...
In the case of the POWIDOKI magazine, the design process for one issue lasts several months. Each issue is devoted to a different subject. You need to build a narrative, collect material, make a layout, selection, then come up with a concept based on the materials received from the authors. It's a team work, although I am in charge of the creative process.
How long did it take me to work on one issue? This is a common question.
How long did it take me to work on one issue? This is a common question.
Working with students at the academy was the most important experience, though I also ran my own design studio for many years and hired people. I find that period very important in understanding the design market.
Book publishers, theaters, galleries, festivals, in general, institutions related to culture.
I love the beginning of a project because there is always the thrill of what will come out of it, whether I can handle the subject matter.
I would like the POWIDOKI magazine to gain recognition in the world. I believe that with a good team we can do a lot. The magazine has become a fantastic space for bringing together artists and designers from all over the world.
If we talk about POWIDOKI, the magazine is created by a team. For the past few years I had been working with the editor-in-chief Marta Ostajewska, who built the content of the first 6 issues with the help of content editors. Since 2022, I have started cooperation with Bogusław Deptuła and Izabela Bloch. I am the person who not only designs the layout of the magazine, conceives the communication and promotion campaign, but also co-creates the content, looks for and invites the authors. I feel responsible for this project, so every aspect of this magazine is important to me. If any problem appears – I take action.
We are currently dealing with photography and animation. We are working on successive issues. We are preparing for the promotion of the 6th issue of the magazine, dedicated to ecodesign. We are organising meetings and exhibitions.
I invite you to visit the magazine's website www.powidoki.asp.lodz.pl and our social media channels (facebook and instagram).
I would like to invite everybody to read the artistic and scientific magazine POWIDOKI published by the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz. It is really worth it!