ELEVATE Podcast

#107. Now is Better | Stefan Sagmeister

Elevation Barn Season 10 Episode 1

"Now is Better" is a visually stunning book that encourages long-term thinking and highlights global improvements. Conceived during the 2020 pandemic, the book uses data and historical art to illustrate societal progress and future potential. With vivid graphs, 19th-century paintings, embroidered canvases, lenticular prints, and hand-painted water glasses, Stefan Sagmeister showcases how life has improved for most people, countering the negativity prevalent in today's news cycles. His work aims to inspire gratitude and optimism about the future. 

Stefan is an Austrian graphic designer based in New York City, where he founded Sagmeister Inc. in 1993. He has created iconic designs for artists like Lou Reed, OK Go, The Rolling Stones, David Byrne, Jay Z, Aerosmith, Talking Heads, Brian Eno, and Pat Metheny, and worked with clients including HBO, the Guggenheim Museum, and Time Warner. He is also the author of "Made You Look" and teaches at the School of Visual Arts in New York, holding the Frank Stanton Chair at the Cooper Union School of Art. 

Join us for an engaging conversation with Stefan—a design legend—about his inspiring new project and his thoughts on the future.