CRANBROOK ACADEMY OF ART
Ed Ryan, an artist/graphic designer/musician, is an MFA Candidate in 2D Design. His interests include experimental publishing, spatial and experiential design, design systems, and the material implications of digital and physical collecting. Previously, Ed was a Senior Designer at GHD Partners in NYC, working on large-scale environmental and experiential design projects. He holds a BFA from Western Michigan and certificates from UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design and Typography Summer School Los Angeles. Ed’s work has been recognized by the TDC, It’s Nice That, and GDUSA. He is partial to short workshops, long movies, and most beverages made in Milwaukee from malted cereal grains.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW?
Born in Kalamazoo MI, currently live outside of Detroit
STUDYING ON CAMPUS OR ONLINE?
IRL. On campus
MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Night owl
FAVORITE MOVIE?
I haven’t watched that many movies this year, though I do deeply miss the movie theatre. Lately, I’ve been dying for a third watch of Call Me by Your Name
FAVORITE BINGE WATCH?
Seinfeld
FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM?
None. I’m addicted to all of them and they’re all bad for my brain. Least favorite: Instagram.
FAVORITE PODCAST?
This American Life
FAVORITE FINE ARTIST?
Noah Davis or Tom Sachs
FAVORITE BOOK?
Speedboat by Renata Adler
FAVORITE CHARITY/CAUSE?
BLM
FAVORITE FREE TIME ACTIVITY DURING THE PANDEMIC?
Biking and playing guitar. Not at the same time
HAVE THE CHALLENGES OF 2020 CHANGED HOW YOU THINK ABOUT THE ROLE OF GRAPHIC DESIGN AND DESIGNERS?
I’m hopeful that the forced slowdown will awaken us to the unsustainable ways that much creative operates, like an orange being squeezed dry. Also, I am torn about design’s role in politics. In some ways, a year like 2020 makes design feel like a gloss or a hollow signifier of values that washes legitimate issue. On the other hand, witnessing millions of Americans taking to the streets or using their voices (and sometimes design) to speak out — that’s a powerful etc.
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