Semi-Permanent
Design types once again convene in the wonderful precinct that is Darling Harbour.
Semi-Permanent is at it again, plucking design types from New York lofts and warehouses-cum-ateliers and dropping them into Darling Harbour. For two days, ideas about graphic design, film, fine art, illustration, web design, interactive design, photography, visual effects, animation, graffiti, motion graphics, stop motion and architecture (phew!) will swim in a sea of creative minds.
In the past, Semi-Permanent has brought us the likes of Banksy, This Is A Magazine and Friend of Oyster Jonathan Zawada. This year's line-up is just as laudable. We're super excited to hear what Surface To Air have to say when they take to the podium. What started as a collective of designers and artists with a clever graphic identity has evolved into a global creative force with more operations than a Brazilian plastic surgeon's office. (Last year they made a foray into South America with the opening of a restaurant/store/studio in Sao Paulo.) Surface To Air have provided art direction for clients as diverse as adidas, Louis Vuitton, Issey Miyake, Dover Street Market and the French Ministry of Culture. They've produced music videos for The Streets, Midnight Juggernauts and Justice - their video for Justice vs Simian's 'We Are Your Friends' even won Best Video at the MTV Europe Awards in 2006, famously inciting fellow nominee Kanye West to jump on stage to complain.
Also gracing this year's event is Reg Mombassa. Inspired by the wind, semi-professional birthday clowns, heavy machinery and the behavior of domestic animals, he is best known for his work with Mambo. He's been designing quirky t-shirts and posters for them since 1986. He also designed the 'Heroes' segment for the Sydney 2000 Olympics Closing Ceremony, which included three stages, twelve six-metre high inflatables, two 20 metre dirigibles, 16 inflatable crowd balls and a helluva lot of helium. What's more, he's a musician. He formed rock band Mental as Anything in 1976 with four other art students, and they've since released eleven albums.
Production designer Annie Sperling, photographer Kayt Jones, graphic designers Moffitt Moffitt and Auckland based agency Alt Group will also be present to share their pearls of wisdom.
Semi-Permanent 2011 will happen on May 13 and 14 May at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. Buy tickets here.
