“Existing somewhere in the space between creation and occupation, Swedish art director August Östberg has mastered the virtue of balance, between his work in advertising and photography.” A testament to life’s most curious dreamers, Östberg’s work is saturated with radically colored composition and thought provoking subjects. As he continues to establish himself as an inspiration for the masses, he simultaneously sets the standard for those working professionally in the arts. August Östberg’s unadulterated take on working in the creative industry is as personal as it is universal.
Interview by Alli Lindsey
When did you know that art and photography was your calling?
I got into photography because I failed to become a painter. I wasn’t skilled enough to make a career out of it so I tried to become a comic book artist, a filmmaker, animator and a comedian (that last one is pretty cringy to look back on now).
As I got older and more into design and software I found myself back to something that felt familiar. Making pictures, this time with a camera and computer.
What does an art director at AKQA do on a day to day basis?
I come up with new creative ways to advertise products. Everything from selling sneakers to videogames. Once an idea has been sold though it’s up to me to direct the art. Find the correct talent, photographers, designers, film directors etc.
What are some of your favorite projects that you have worked on at AKQA, and why?
”La Vie On Board” is in the top. It’s an illustrated and artistic interpretation of life on board Eurostar, the train that goes from London to Paris. You can check it out on the IG account @lavieonboard.
More recent I just finished working on six comedy shorts for a major video game. They’ll be realized in about a month. That will be my favorite project to date.
How do you separate creating for a living, and creating for joy?
Creative for a living is a luxury and I’m very blessed. Like with any job there’s always things that you find boring or hard but you still need to do it. I force myself to think of my personal projects as a second job. Sometimes I need to force myself to make stuff, but most of the time I know how satisfying it is to finish something, so the pressure of that kick is most often all I need.
“Go commercial! I don’t buy the “don’t sell out” mentality. You can still do what you consider “real art” but make sure you have food on your table first. Use your gift to get a good life.”
Which visual artists have inspired your photography, film, and design aesthetic?
I spend more time thinking of want I don’t want to do rather than want I want to do. Currently I’m bored to death with Scandinavian minimalism, making me wanting to stay away from anything that feels simple and monotone.
Explain the role that bold colors and obscure composition play in your craft?
I’ve always had an ongoing love story with colors. The idea of doing colorful and vibrant photos started about three years ago when every other Instagram photographer was doing dark and desaturates photos. I took that as an opportunity to stick out in people’s gray feeds.
As a writer, I often struggle with “writer’s block.” Describe what a creative roadblock feels like as a visual artist.
I find creative roadblocks to be mostly helpful for my work. If I’d never encountered it I would probably be taking the same picture over and over. Having a hard stop and failing (or just being bored with my work) makes me puzzle together new ideas and new way of crafting.
How have you utilized social media to garner a following? How important is social media in the creative arts industry?
A few failed attempts, yeah. I got lucky when some random guy posted my photo on reddit and it quickly rose to the front page. That’s where I’ve gained most of my followers.
Having followers doesn’t make my work better but it seems to have this arbitrary value that makes people take you more serious, without even judging the work.
“Having followers doesn’t make my work better but it seems to have this arbitrary value that makes people take you more serious, without even judging the work.”
With an impressive portfolio already under your belt, what are some long term goals you would like to achieve in the future?
I have the naive dream of always doing exactly what I want. I lived that dream when I was in my teens. I grew up in a sleepy village in the south of Sweden where nothing happened. There was something magic having that much spare time where I could try out everything I was curious about. From making comic books, animating, building skateparks and making movies with my friends.
What is the best piece of advice you have received regarding the creative process of visual art?
Plan ahead but don’t over plan.
What advice would you give to an artist who wants to make a career out of their craft?
Go commercial! I don’t buy the “don’t sell out” mentality. You can still do what you consider “real art” but make sure you have food on your table first. Use your gift to get a good life. No one likes an artist that struggles for no good reason.
In your down time, you mentioned that “you’ll find me either in a loud karaoke bar, or at home playing the most artsy fartsy indie games on the market.” What is your go-to karaoke song, and what can tell us about artsy fartsy indie games?
Piano Man by Billy Joel.
Video games is such an interesting media. It’s so young, undefined and you can really see a progression in quality every year. From big budget developers pushing the engineering and overall design principle top the smaller indie developers that experiments with new ways of telling stories. I can’t wait to see what to come.
www.augustostberg.com
www.instagram.com/augustostberg
