Lumen Interview: Igor Pajed from Media Apparat

We had a great pleasure to establish the connection with Igor Pajed, the creative director of Media Apparat and the talented artist. Lumen asked only a few of questions we’d like to explore, but this is quite enough to enjoy the ammount of knowledge in the context of work and life position of Igor Pajed…

Lumen: Tell us more about Media Apparat, how’s the idea of ‘open work’ being realised in real life? What was the biggest project of 2014? And what does Media Apparat plan for the future year? How can one join your team and who would be welcome to do so ?

Igor: Our definition/understanding of ‘open work’ is thinking outside the box and coordinating a worldwide network of freelancers and partners to create and establish new ideas.

For 2015, we are planning an open lab to develop new technical solutions and connect different types of people.

We are always looking for interesting and inspiring people to work with. So everybody who can help pushing the limits further is highly welcome to join us and get in touch. In particular, great cooking and animal trainer skills are very useful and highly appreciated.

Lumen: What does your art director schedule look like? What are your everyday responsibilities? How do art directors have fun? Is the job a stressful one?

Igor: The job description fits more with that of a creative director than an art director. However, creating ideas, trying new things and opening your eyes to new paths doesn’t need a job title. In general, it’s all about concept development and choosing the right instruments at the right time. Responsibilities start with project management and end with team catering, planning the after-show party or just laying cables. And yes, sometimes it’s a bit stressful, especially when work starts before noon.

Lumen:  What about your personal projects? Are there any big ideas for 2015? What are the most fascinating project you have realised in the past?

Igor: The most fascinating project which took up most of my time was founding Media Apparat, and it still is one of the biggest adventures I can imagine taking. Beyond that, I teach at the University of Applied Sciences in St. Pölten (Fachhochschule St. Pölten) where I also supervise some student projects. Personal innovations this year will hopefully include taking some days off and going on holiday – maybe for enjoying an unforgettable time at Fusion Festival close to Berlin or meeting inspiring people and technologies in and around LA and Silicon Valley with our partner pioneer.io.

Lumen:  What can you tell us about the worldwide visual culture in general? Have you noticed any tendencies? What about your forecast for the art of VJing and other elements of interactive art? Do you believe in a world where visual performances seem as real as the world around us, without a possible distinction?

Igor: In general, many VJs started in clubs, experimenting with different things. Now they are coming of age, having grown up in a constantly changing environment with more technical opportunities available than ever. Gateways and interfaces open more possibilities every day, resulting in cutting-edge projects and increasing professionalism. Furthermore, applications designed for art projects become more and more functional with different stunning appliances in real life. From my point of view, the most interesting projects focus on the essence of it all, rather than reflecting reality. Artists whose work really impressed me are Anti-VJ and 1024 Architecture, only to name a few. Or take United Visual Artists as an example, they built the most state–of–the-art media server.

Lumen:  Please, give us a brief analysis of the Austrian visual art market. Is there room for the young and creative? What are the most desirable features for ambitious artists? What about the time and money they have to invest into their favourite work?

Igor: Vienna is somewhat of a VJ metropolis. VJs can be seen in nearly every club, focussing on quality entertainment instead of flat-rate drinking and chart music. Besides, the scene is very vibrant and has many supporters. For example 4youreye featured many upcoming artists over the past years, paving paths for future collaborations. Sound:frame festival curated by Eva Fischer is one of the most important AV festivals in Europe. A lot of well-respected artists participated at this festival in close cooperation with various international cultural institutions. Of course, art installations are often funded by corporate event design or other projects in advertising.

Last but not least I would like to talk about maplab – an artist in resident programm, who invites visual artists from all over the world to come together and collaborate for three days. We are always looking for young ambitious artists to join us and try new things out.

Lumen: Thank you, Igor! It was a great interview.

Hope, you like it too!