Q&A with Kari Piippo

Graphis, Sep/Oct 2002

1. Where do you seek inspiration?

With my eyes open, alert, looking for various phenomena-especially, in the lakes and forests tha are part of our Finnish national identity.

2. Professionally, who has influenced you the most?

Henri Matisse and Polish poster designers from the '60s, such as Tomaszewsky, Cieslewicz, Lenica, Swierzy and Mlodozeniec.

3. Who is/was your greatest mentor in life?

Matisse, Cezanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Picasso and Miro. They opened my eyes.

4. What is your greatest professional achievement?

Membership into the international design family.

5. What is your greatest personal achievement?

That our two sons have been sucessful; one as a scientist and the other as a graphic designer.

6. What is your work philosophy?

I try to reach people in a simple, understandable and interesting way.

7. What is your free-time philosophy?

There is no visible difference between on- and off-duty.

8. What would be your dream-- assignment?

I love posters! It's always a big challenge to create a poster.

9. Do you have a favorite cause you like to work on?

I want to get peoples attention, so they'll notice that there is still is justice in this world. But I also want people to notice the little things that make this world a more interesting place to live.

10. Who/What is your favorite studio/designer /ad agency/ photographer/illustrator...? (rate 1-5)

There are too many great ones to choose from, but here are a few: Milton Glaser, Heinz Edelmann, Seymor Chwast; the design collective Grapus.

11. If you were to invite 1-5 personalities for a dinner conversation? Who would that be?

I spent one evening in Istanbul with Uwe Loesch, Shigeo Fukuda, Istvan Orosz, and our hosts Sadik Karamustafa and Yurdaer Altintas. We were from five different countries, but we understood each other brilliantly. It would also be nice to invite people from other sectors of cultural life, i.e. an architect, scientist, musician, dancer, actor.

12. What do you collect?

I don't collect anything. Empty space is beautiful. But if we had more room ... modern chairs.

13. What is your most valuable possession?

We live in the house of our dreams.

14. Do you have any hobbies--

My work is my hobby.

15. What is your greatest insecurity.

All technical things.

16. If you were to retire tomorrow, what would you be doing with your free time? I would like to draw, paint, and travel.