We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Yuko Suzuki ("YS").
Yuko Suzuki (mole^3) is a Japanese printmaker and visual artist whose work explores the intersection of traditional printmaking and digital media. She creates using open data, images, sound, generative art, and woodblock printing. Viewing coding as a form of printmaking, she considers on-screen outputs to be the digital equivalent of physical prints. Through this perspective, her practice expands the conventional understanding of printmaking. Her work has been exhibited in Japan and internationally, including at the NTT InterCommunication Center [ICC] in Tokyo and in collaboration with the Yamaguchi Center for Arts and Media [YCAM].
Yuko Suzuki Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Yuko Suzuki.
Yuko Suzuki Design - Changes and Cycles in Between Digital Art
Yuko Suzuki Design - Life Forms of Colors Digital Art
Yuko Suzuki Design - Curiosity Blocks Digital Art
Designer Interview of Yuko Suzuki:
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?
YS : I majored in oil painting and printmaking at university. After graduation, while continuing my printmaking practice, I worked at several design and video production companies. I had always wanted to be a printmaker, but as I started learning coding to support my printmaking, I gradually found myself creating video works with code.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
YS : I currently work as a freelance visual artist under the name mole^3. My work includes video creation using coding, as well as printmaking and sculpture.
DI: What is "design" for you?
YS : Since I’m not a designer, it’s a bit difficult for me to answer this question. But to me, design feels like something that helps maintain order in the world.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
YS : I'm not sure if it can be considered "design," but my favorite is shin-hanga. In Japan, after ukiyo-e, a new genre of woodblock prints called shin-hanga emerged — a movement that blended traditional techniques with modern sensibilities.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
YS : It was a book design.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
YS : My favorite technologies include coding, which I often use in generative art. I also enjoy working with physical materials like wood.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
YS : I often feel most creative when I'm walking.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
YS : When I design, I place importance on understanding the client’s needs and solving problems effectively.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
YS : I want to make others enjoy it.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
YS : I feel happy.
DI: What makes a design successful?
YS : I'm not sure, but maybe sincerity.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
YS : I guess it would be whether it’s organized, in many different ways.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
YS : I think it’s about not overdoing the appeal.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
YS : I’m not sure how exactly it’s evolving, but if more designers learn how to code, it could make things a bit more interesting.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
YS : The inspiration for my work comes from a sense of a sense of purpose that comes from within. I maintain my creativity through continuous learning.
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?
YS : My design style is algorithmic and code-based, exploring the balance between chaos and order. I'm drawn to systems that generate beauty through unpredictability.
DI: How do you work with companies?
YS : I work as a freelance artist/designer and take on projects as they come.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
YS : Once I’ve decided on a direction, I create a prototype. I make sure to share my work frequently throughout the process.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
YS : One of the positives of being a designer is that, in a way, you get to create a new world. It’s a form of shaping reality through ideas and visuals. A downside, though, is that it’s easy to forget that many people in the world don’t really care about design—or even notice it. But maybe that’s the same in any field.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
YS : My golden rule in design is: A designer is like a performer.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
YS : I think humility is the most important skill.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
YS : I don’t manage it, to be honest.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
YS : I’m not sure, but I’d say raising a child has been one of the most important experiences.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
YS : The most fun part is when I’m thinking of different ideas. Not sure why, though.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
YS : I work on my designs by myself.
DI: How can people contact you?
YS : You can contact me via email at mail@printwithcode.org