Journal 04

MY MANTRA FOR THE WEEK

9. Begin anywhere. John Cage tells us that not knowing where to begin is a common form of paralysis. His advice: begin anywhere.

This motto is applicable in that we are beginning a new project his week! As difficult as it can be to begin the process all over agian, you have to start somewhere! Thanks for the advice Bruce and John!

Man oh man, Bruce! I couldn't have put it any other way.

18. Stay up late. Strange things happen when you’ve gone too far, been up too long, worked too hard, and you're separated from the rest of the world.

WHO IS BRUCE MAU? WHAT HAS HE DONE? WHY IS HE SO FASCINATING?

Bruce Mau is a visionary and world-leading innovator. As Chief Creative Officer of Bruce Mau Design, he proves that the power of design is boundless, and has the capacity to bring positive change on a global scale. Mau founded his studio in 1985, and his first project was the celebrated Zone Books series. A decade later he produced S,M,L,XL, an award-winning compendium developed in close collaboration with Rem Koolhaas. In 2003 Mau founded the Institute without Boundaries, a studio-based postgraduate program that was formed out of the conviction that the future demands a new breed of designer. This became the engine for Massive Change, an ambitious travelling exhibition, publication and educational program series that mapped out the power and possibility of design. In recent years he also worked on !Guateamala!, in collaboration with business and cultural leaders of Guatemala, to design a galvanizing movement to realize a positive future of their country. Throughout the years, Mau has gained an international reputation for his commitment to interdisciplinary and purpose-driven innovation. As the creative force driving studios in Chicago and Toronto, he recognizes that the complex challenges of the future demand innovation across disciplines and industries. In the fall of 2009, Mau was given the distinguished Louise Blouin Foundation Award at the Global Creative Leadership Summit for his exceptional creative achievement. In 2007 Mau was presented with the AIGA Gold Medal for communication design. He was named the Bill and Stephanie Sick Distinguished Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Bruce Mau is also the feature of the recently released book by Warren Berger, GLIMMER: How Design Can Transform Your Life and Maybe Even the World (Penguin Press). This spring also brings the release of The Third Teacher, a book that Mau and his studio co-authored with OWP/P and VS Furniture, which examine the relationship between the educational environment and learning outcomes. Other clients include: Frank Gehry, MTV, New Meadowlands Stadium, Coca Cola and the feature length documentary The11th Hour. Through his design practice, Mau continues to pursue life’s big question, “Now that we can do anything, what will we do?”