A Different Aesthetic

Aesthetic Apparatus design team turns passion for concert art into a full-time pursuit.

Aesthetic Apparatus has two pieces in the Walker Art Center's new graphic design exhibit, a 16-foot cascading waterfall of “test prints” or “misprints."

Image credit: Image courtesy Aesthetic Apparatus

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Editor’s note: The Walker Art Center’s latest exhibit, “Graphic Design: Now in Production,” is the museum’s largest installation since 1989. The exhibit, which continues through Jan. 22, 2012, explores the growth and changing scope of graphic design over the last decade. This is the final installment in a three-part series about designers featured in the exhibit.

There was a time when Dan Ibarra, the co-founder of Twin Cities design studio, Aesthetic Apparatus thought of graphic design as a side project. But as he and co-founder Michael Byzewski honed their printmaking skills, working on limited edition hand-printed concert posters as a side project from their “real jobs,” the stars re-aligned.   

Now, Ibarra finds himself working as a full-time graphic designer – and a popular one at that. Two of Aesthetic Apparatus’ pieces are featured among the Walker Art Center's exhibit “Graphic Design: Now in Production,” which finds him in some good company. See METRO’s November issue for another of their works – our next Commission piece comes right out of their shop.

METRO caught up with Ibarra recently to talk about how he turned a hobby into a career, the intimate nature of his work and why he's considered "the funny one."

METRO: Aesthetic Apparatus began as a fun side project from your “real” jobs with your friend Michael Byzewski. Where did you begin and how did you make it happen?

Dan Ibarra: Honestly it was never a conscious progression. We started with poster work, and began purely as a creative craft-based outlet for us. We were music fans, purely interested in a creative outlet. We didn’t require or expect anything, and so we had no false or unrealistic expectations so the business was able to grow organically. It was surprising to us when it reached the point of being a hobby that paid for itself we never expected anything, other than our own enjoyment to come from it.

M: Aesthetic Apparatus has two works being featured in the Walker’s “Graphic Design: Now in Production” exhibit, what is the story behind those pieces and what inspired them?

DI: Both works are physical incarnations of the production process. One is a 16-foot cascading waterfall of “test prints” or “misprints,” items that are usually discarded. In one sense they are trash and in another sense they are exquisite, one-of-a-kind pieces. I think the duality they represent is inspiring.

There is also a window display of 150 two-color prints that says “Monotonous the miracle of self-production” which reflects the idea of the physicality of doing something yourself, and while you get to be creative and make something, you also might sometimes be up working at 2 a.m., printing and working.  

M: The Walker exhibit focuses on the advancements in technology over the past decade in graphic design, what has been the most significant advancement from your point of view?

DI: For us, it’s been the Internet. It’s an amazing tool for building a community. Small concert poster artists are all tied together and we have been able to build close friendships with like-minded people, bringing people together, which allows us to develop intimate relationships with people in the graphic design community.

M: The Walker exhibit explores how designers are becoming producers, authors, publishers, employing their creative skills as makers of content and shapers of experience, what kind of experience do you hope people have when working with Aesthetic Apparatus?

DI: We want to relay an experience of trying to create a business based on community and personal relationships and self-sufficiency. Our jobs are personal and on a one-on-one basis. We enjoy working with people on a personal basis and not just looking at jobs as paychecks. We made a decision to stay small, we could have expanded but we chose to focus on intimate relationships for the job of working and connecting creatively with people.

M: Your website designates you as “the funny one” how did you earn that title?

DI: Well, I think it’s because I don't take myself too seriously. We have an opportunity to play a little bit, with the website, and like to punctuate things with a light-hearted personal approach.