    
|
MARC BLAUSTEIN
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
Marc Blaustein was born and raised in Manhattan, but Brooklyn has been his home for the past 13 years. His formal training took place at the Cooper Union School of Art, with a stint at Parsons School of Design, followed by post-grad work at Middlesex University in London. Since then Blaustein has worked on projects for a wide range of clients, either while on-staff at design studios or independently. His clients have included Champion Paper, Met Life, The Frick Collection, Pratt Institute, The Village Voice and a large assortment of cultural foundations, galleries, recording artists and performing arts groups. Blaustein joined The New York Public Library in 1995. As art director of the graphic design office, he oversees the design and production of a wide variety of projects. With 86 branches and four research libraries, the NYPL system is vast, its clientele highly diverse and its design needs enormous. They have a small, yet fierce design group that focuses on major library projects such as exhibitions, the annual report, corporate identity, books, banners, advertising, multimedia presentations and web design. Says Blaustein, "The variety of projects keeps things interesting, and over the years our work has received numerous awards and a nice amount of recognition from the design community."
Was graphic design your first career path?
I was born to artist/designer parents, so I had incredible opportunities, support and immersion in the arts while growing up. At Cooper Union I initially focused on painting, drawing, photography and collage, all of which have heavily influenced my approach to design. I always had a crush on letterforms, though I thought it would pass. Then, halfway through art school, that relationship was rekindled, and I fell in love. I blame my teachers and fellow students, who inspired me to take typography, design and calligraphy classes. In the real world, my bosses and colleagues, particularly Ann Antoshak, Sara Bernstein and Marilan Lund, provided inspiration and opportunity that helped pave the road for me.
What talents do you wish you possessed?
When I was in Mali, West Africa, this past year, I saw a man who was holding a glowing coal in his hand. I'm not sure why, but I think that might prove to be a useful skill to have somewhere down the road.
Where do you turn for inspiration?
The best way for me to grease the wheels is to go for a walk or take the subway. There's something about motion that allows my mind to shift, and I can gain a different perspective. I often leave my office to take walks and think through ideas. There have been times when I have ridden the train waaaaay past my stop because I've been in the middle of trying to figure out the solution to a problem.
What is your worst habit?
Well, aside from smoking, I'd say that I need to keep the bad puns to a minimum.
Should graphic design be an instrument for positive social change?
Yes, though I know that it's not always possible. I'm fortunate to work for an institution whose mission I strongly believe in, and I consider every project I work on at the library to be a small contribution toward some sort of positive social change. I choose my outside design projects carefully, to support clients and causes I want to get behind.
Another way I think about it is this: as long as you approach design responsibly, seeking excellence, challenging your audience and trying to find a truth in what you do, these not only make you a better person but also add toward positively shaping culture.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|