Writer GONZALO ANOZ
Type runs in the blood of Alex Trochut, grandson of the typesetter and printer Joan Trochut. He has run campaigns for giants like Puma, Nike, Fila, Coca-Cola, Absolut Vodka among others. He also created the typography and tigerish layaout for Katy Perry´s new single “Roar”. Graduated in graphic design ELISAVA Barcelona and along his career he has received numerous awards. He currently resides in Brooklyn (New York) where he works and has brought out a compilation of his designs in “More is more”, and shows his influence from the work of artists such as Picasso and Gaudí.
In 2012 he patented a printing technique that he himself invented “Binary prints” is abidimensional work consisting in which two distinct images can occupy the same piece.This is achieved thanks to one of the images being visible in the light, yet this changes when it is seen without the light. This exhibition is accompanied by an electronic music soundtrack, also because the pictures of some of the main exponents of this musical genre, like John Talabot, Damian Lazarus or James Murphy, are part of the oeuvres on show, and because these pictures are “like DJ’s, who come to life at night”.
Can a specific font reflect the spirit of a brand? If we imagine for example Coca-Cola without their logo. The font is a visual language present in everything that is human communication. For example, we could go to a Japanese supermarket, we wouldn’t be able to understand anything but we would be able to know some things from the design of the font.
Can a print design be done with “everything”? The only limit to being able to make a design is the imagination of the designer.
Do you think typography and printing can ever play a technological role in creating artistic products such as your Binary prints? Yes, of course it can help. Now more traditional techniques are starting to be used again, and it’s very notable especially in the use of ‘lettering’ and ‘calligraphy’ somehow these more classical techniques are being combined with the most recent.
The union between music and art – do you consider it reinforces the work on show? Yes, people need to be able to connect with an exhibition and look for points in common. In the case of “Binary prints” I used electronic music because I was looking for complicity with the spectator. I think that if I had done the work on my own it would have lost a lot, and the musicians are bringing a lot to my piece with their work.
What are the characteristics of a good slogan with typography? Depends on the context. First the text, I prefer a shorter, because although there are fewer letters one can make them stand out more.
What projects do you have lined up? I have plans to work on and develop more “Binary prints” but the next few projects are more to do with training. I am very thrilled to be as a student taking classes in different fields and learning from these.
Which artist has most influenced your work? I feel very identified with artists ranging from Dalí to Picasso.
What work of art do you never tire of seeing? “The persistence of memory” of Salvador Dalí.
ALEX TROCHUT HITS
1- What book would you recommend? “Smarter than you think”.
2- And which film? “Boyhood”, a film I recently saw and will see again a few years from now and will allow me to ask some questions of.
3- What’s your hobby do you do the most when not designing? Travelling, listening to music in the studio with friends and spinning the odd disk, but also sport and nature.
4- What place has impressed you on your travels? Japan, because it manages to function as a developed western society at the same times as maintaining its traditions.
