Ruben Pater (NL)

Ruben Pater is a graphic designer at a moment in time when more design is about the last thing the world needs. In search of ethical alternatives he designs, writes, and teaches. After receiving his bachelor degree in graphic design, Ruben Pater worked as a designer for different studios in the Netherlands. His work experience led him to pursue a master degree at the Sandberg institute in Amsterdam, which he completed in 2012. His practice has combined journalism, activism, and graphic design under the name Untold Stories. He is the author of two books on visual communication and design; The Politics of Design (2016) and CAPS LOCK (2021). He is currently based in Barcelona and teaches at the EINA University School of Design and Art, the Elisava School of Design and Engineering and BAU college of arts & design in Barcelona.

The Future is Boring; the algorithmic capitalist aesthetic

Why do graphic design trends look more and more alike? And why are design aesthetics caught in a perpetual nostalgia? As a profession, design has always been in service of market profit. What has changed is that its output is measurable in real time. The availability of ready-made design software and visual AI, all commanded by A/B testing, is pushing design toward a form of automated on-demand image production for the market, creating a feedback loop of nostalgic nothingness. This talk will emphasize the importance of the humanistic, creative and social aspect of design in education and practice.