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8x8 - Shock as speakers stick to brief and finish their presentations in 8 minutes!

July, 3rd 2009 posted by The ilovedesign.com Team

What a disappointment! We didn’t get to use the air horn once! All our speakers stuck to the brief (that’ll be a first!!) and allowed us to enjoy 8x8 minutes of insight into their inspiration and what makes them tick.

There were lots of highlights but there were three key themes that really stick in my mind:

1. Friends and Family provide our support and inspiration - Be it a trip across country with a girlfriend, a brother who loves his job playing a sport he’s passionate about, an Uncle who gave unusual, but relevant advice, an under-stated Aunt, or a group of students who surpassed all expectations when asked to help with a project, people around us are able to help us achieve our best work, and distract us when the creative juices just aren’t flowing (I won’t attempt to show the formula for this!). Who inspires you the most?
 
2. Opposites. Juxtapositions. Tensions. All are key to helping us be more creative, and find our inspiration. Iain Tait kicked us off by saying you could love and hate your job in the same day. Several speakers talked about looking backwards to look forwards. Old and New. Black and White. The desires to push to extremes, or find a previously unchartered middle ground, all help us to work at our best. What are the tensions and forces that help you push your projects a bit further?

3. I should have re-read my Biology, Chemistry and Physics GCSE notes. Were you surprised by how many references there were to science and technology? Jamie blew us all away be de-coding a Nasa Space Probe Plaque and showing that complex science could be presented in such a way to communicate not only with people who speak a different language, but other forms of life!  Joel and Pete from Hellicar&Lewis then went on to show an award-winning use of the application of scientific thinking which is proudly housed in the V&A. Is there a Science to Art and Design? Does this conflict with how we traditionally think about great creatives?

As promised, over the next week, we’ll be making the video of the 8x8 event accessible on ilovedesign.com . If anyone has any feedback, or would like to kick off a discussion on any of the themes of the evening, don’t hesitate to comment below or email ilovedesign.com.

A final thank you to all our speakers and fantastic host, everyone who bought a ticket for the event and the teams who help us set up and promote 8x8 London.

Now, I’m off to phone a friend before I embark on my next project…