AGI Open – Tickets on Sale for Once in a Generation Design Event 

 

Published: Tuesday 5 September, 2023

From 18-19 September, more than 30 of the world’s leading designers are in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland for the AGI Open – two-days of curated talks and activities in a fun, festival environment at the Aotea Centre.

The AGI Open is hosted by the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI), a not-for-profit organisation founded in 1952 whose focus is on connecting leaders of the global design industry, inspiring new practitioners, and giving back to communities. Membership is by invitation only, and reserved for those who make a significant and impactful contribution to shaping global visual culture.

Dean Poole, Aotearoa New Zealand’s first AGI member and the Auckland event curator, says the AGI Open is a unique opportunity to see some of the world’s most influential designers in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

He says it will be the largest design festival ever staged in Auckland, and describes the audience as anyone interested in unique global perspectives on design, motion, communications, digital innovation, branding and creative practice.

“It’s not an annual event, it’s a once in a generation event and the first time the AGI Open has been hosted in the Southern Hemisphere. If you need inspiration, or a high-impact download on global design culture — come to the AGI Open in September.”

“If you’re a designer, architect, creative, student or educator this is not to be missed.”

The AGI Open’s two-day programme features 36 speakers, including:

• Paula Scher – partner at Pentagram New York, established artist and subject of the Netflix series, ‘Abstract: The Art Of Design’.
• Kenya Hara – the respected curator, writer and design director of Japanese brand Muji.
• Lars Müller – publisher of more than 800 books, many exploring history and development of design, architecture, art, landscape architecture and urbanism.
• James Brown – Australian designer renowned for “art-chitecture”, including the hand-painted masterpiece, Motel Mexicola, in Bali, and the colourful Africola restaurant in Australia.
• Brian Collins, head of COLLINS, a global branding agency that works with Spotify, Robinhood, Twitch, Nike, Equinox and more.
• Paul Boudens – Belgian designer who works exclusively with avant-garde fashion brands, including Walter Van Beirendonck, Yohji Yamamoto, Dries Van Noten and Jurgi Persoons.

“Cities around the world really compete to host events like this,” Poole says. “We’ve pulled out all the stops with a line-up of speakers drawn from Japan, China, Korea, Singapore, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Argentina, the US and more. From experimental practice to the successful branding of prominent global companies, each speaker has invaluable insights to share.”

“You may not know all their names, but you will know their work because it has shaped the visual landscape we all live in.”

Tickets on sale now. Head to agi-open.com for the full line up.