We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Pierre Koukjian ("PK").
Working across a wide range of media, and common daily subjects , Pierre transforms well known materials and stories into artistic phenomena. His works are known for their strong character , primitive and yet avant garde with often provocative symbolic resonance. Transforming materials, such as hammered steel, titanium , industrial foam , brass, neon, glass….and giving them new use and meaning… Using his nomadic life experience as a source of inspiration , holding 3 nationalities fluent in 5 languages, living around the World , gave him the ability to target some very global issues. Born in Beirut 1962 , Pierre was a teen with passion for drawing, when the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war forced him to leave his homeland in the late seventies. Pierre started life in Germany where he encountered many artist and designers and gained valuable experience and skills in design and sculpture . In 1990 Pierre moved to Paris, where he re‑newed his skills. His work was immediately recognized by the most prominent private collectors, who acquired his most poetically daring erotic sculptures, a few pieces found their way to a private private museum. In 1994 he moved to the far east living between Bangkok and Singapore, gaining a reputation in Asia, then in the late 90’s Pierre choose Madrid as his home. Today Pierre works from his workshop in Geneva as a conceptual artist, in this city he found himself and coming out with concepts as hammered steel , cement with bronze sculpture, neon works, while still oil on canvas is his daily task. Pierre likes to give back to the young Artists of tomorrow by lecturing them at Colleges in Hong Kong, Paris and Madrid.
Pierre Koukjian Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Pierre Koukjian.
Designer Interview of Pierre Koukjian:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
PK : Since being a kid, I was bad at school but excelled in design class. This built the foundation to my career. As a teenager I won the Fabriano award two years in a row and this reconfirmed that I had no other chance than to take this path in life.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
PK : SINCE is based in Geneva, CH where I work with my eldest son Cedric. We do conceptual art and design from furniture to sculpture and from unique piece to limited series.
DI: What is "design" for you?
PK : Transforming the ordinary to extraordinary.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
PK : Anything that I never touched before. A challenge is always the greatest source of creativity.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
PK : A bird lamp designed by Lalanne and a close second is the modular lamp from Serge Mouille
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
PK : The Bichrono watch for the brand deLaCour which incidentally became an iconic piece.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
PK : I like hard to work with materials, such as steel, titanium and carbon. Anything that is challenging.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
PK : Definitely when I am swimming, which I do on a daily basis.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
PK : On the volume and the character of a piece. I focus on the big picture before entering the details.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
PK : It is a journey of emotions. From a painful creative process to satisfaction when I see the result.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
PK : It is a feeling of deception because I am left unsatisfied knowing I could have done better.
DI: What makes a design successful?
PK : When a third party acquires one of my pieces.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
PK : The innovation aspect. If it has been done before it fails as an idea.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
PK : Imagine the world without art. How would you get emotions out of people?
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
PK : This is a question I ask myself every day, although I don't have an answer, I believe we are now more than ever in a need of beauty around us.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
PK : It was in PAD paris and the next one will be in my studio in Geneva, CH.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
PK : The daily life and more specifically the street. I believe design comes from the bottom up, from the the less fortunate. The less you have the more creative you are.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
PK : in one word: SEXY!
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
PK : I am a nomad, I live in many places and get inspired by them. I myself am also a melting pot of cultures. My working space is in Geneva, CH.
DI: How do you work with companies?
PK : I mainly work for myself and at times I catch the attention of other enthusiasts.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
PK : Be generous to them and believe in their madness.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
PK : I rely on instinct and my primitive impulses and try to interpret them in my work.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
PK : Being a nomad, I don't really have a home except for the world itself and something I always carry are my pens and my sketchbook.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
PK : I am sorry but I don't adhere to any routine. every day is a different adventure.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
PK : Listen and trust yourself.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
PK : Having started very early it has shaped me as the person that I am and I can only see happiness in my work. The bad side is when close people do not try to understand.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
PK : Never stop sketching.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
PK : definitely pen and paper but I have discovered digital painting which has revolutionised the way I work.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
PK : Enjoying working all the time. I find happiness and purpose in what I do.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
PK : I depends on what it is. sometimes it takes a fraction of a second and sometime it takes months.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
PK : everybody asks me: "what is your inspiration?"
DI: What was your most important job experience?
PK : Designing and manufacturing a public sculpture for the city of Geneva, CH.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
PK : Sexy people.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
PK : Mostly sculptures with varying volumes and shapes.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
PK : To create exceptional objects to live with.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
PK : I start with the creative process and the idea and then discuss it with artisans to see what is possible to achieve.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
PK : I am continuing the line of the bubbles and applying to different daily objects.
DI: How can people contact you?
PK : Find me on Instagram @pierrekoukjian
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
PK : I think the world is coming back to being able to accept difference after a generation of sameness. People will abandon mass produced marketed items to more personal ones.