Q.01: You always have a specific, strong concept in your work, would you mind describing it?
Quite a long time ago we read an interview with Hitchcock, in which he stated that "a good movie should also be about movie itself". In other words, Hitchcock said that a good film should also refer to the medium of cinema itself. This remark made a huge impact on us, and we have always tried to translate this viewpoint into graphic design. Our goal has always been to come to a sort of graphic design that would also refer to the construction of graphic design itself. This is, in short, the concept behind all our designs. In our work, we are trying to keep the viewer/reader constantly aware that they are looking at 'just' a piece of design (in other words, a cultural artifact, a man-made construction), instead of capturing the viewer/reader in some sort of false illusion. Through the use of certain historical references, and a specific use of the physical dimensions of graphic design (folding, perforating, cutting, etc.), we are trying to puncture through the world of illusions. Not that we actually always succeed in this, but at least we try.

Q.02: Between design and concept, which is more important for you?
Our goal has always been to create work in which there is no separation between design and concept. The two should be completely integrated. Again, we do not always succeed in this. But it is certainly our goal.

Q.03: What is your definition of art and design?
In our opinion, design isn't a form of art, but art is a form of design. Although it's hard to define art, it's not difficult to define its context: there exists a clear infrastructure of exhibition spaces, galleries, museums, art magazines, art publishers, art history, art theory, etc. Art can be seen as the production of objects, concepts and activities intended to function within this specific infrastructure. In our view, this production can certainly be seen as a specific form of design. So we see art as a specific form of design, just as architecture and graphic design are specific forms of design. Sometimes these different forms of design overlap, sometimes not. It all depends on the context, the infrastructure.

Q.04: How do you usually come up with a concept or idea for your work?
We have quite a classic design approach. The method we rely on is the 'problem/solution' model. We see the given situation (the assignment) as a kind of puzzle, that we somehow have to solve. It's quite a playful approach to design, as we feel as if we're constantly solving riddles. When you use the 'problem/solution' model, you'll notice that the solution is often hidden in the problem. By analyzing and redefining the problem, the solution often comes quite naturally to us.

Q.05: You hardly use illustration, but typography, what is the interesting aspect of typography?
We instinctively feel that typography is a good way to make the viewer/reader aware of the 'thingness' of the designed object itself, whereas an illustration or photograph will reduce the design to an image, an illusion. A t-shirt with typography on it is just what it is: a t-shirt with typography on it. While a t-shirt with a picture on it also becomes some sort of false representation of reality. That's why we still feel much more comfortable using type. The strange thing is, even though we personally prefer to work in a purely typographic way, we really admire illustrators such as Geoff McFetridge, Michael Leon and Josh Petherick. So there's a strange paradox in our taste there. Opposites attract, we guess.

Q.06: You are one of the longest contributing artist to us, can you describe your experience for making designs for 2K/Gingham?
Indeed, we've been contributors for quite a long time now. We first met Yoshi Kawaski in 1999, and since then we've been designing shirts for 2K/Gingham. As a matter of fact, the person that brought us and Yoshi together was Yoshitomo Nara, who we met in Amsterdam in 1997. Yoshitomo apparently told Yoshi about us, after which Yoshi contacted us. It's unbelievable that this all took place already a decade ago. Anyway, to answer your question: it has been really interesting to see 2K/Gingham grow, to see the company move from Japan to California, and to see the increase of contributing artists. 2K/Gingham have been real pioneers in t-shirt culture. It's still exciting for us to be a part of it.

Q.07: What do you think is possible to describe through T-shirts design?
In our recent shirt designs, we try to take a lighter, more playful approach. We try to focus more on the subject of language: short poems, found text, wordplay, quick thoughts, silly jokes. We really like the definition that Augusto de Campos once gave of Concrete Poetry: "The tension of thing-words in space/time". What we try to explore with our shirt designs is very similar to that: the shirt as a 'word-thing' that exists in 'time/space'.

Q.08: Since your 'John & Paul & Ringo & George' shirt was released, there have been many similar designs, how do you feel when you see them?
We just concentrate on the aesthetical and conceptual integrity of the design itself, we always try to fully focus on the 'inner-logic' of the designed object. So it's really interesting to see that such a conceptual design can suddenly become a big hit. It's amazing to see that the 'John & Paul & Ringo & George' shirt has become a format, or a standard, for other people to work with. To us, it proves an important point: that a popular design doesn't have to be made with populist intentions.

Q.09: If you could travel anywhere from tomorrow, where would be your destination?
We've never been in Japan, so we guess that Tokyo would be a good destination. Japanese pop-culture has been a big influence on our early work, and we always liked the graphic design surrounding bands like Pizzicato Five, Cornelius and The Boredoms, so it might be a natural step to visit Japan. Another place we would like to visit sometime is Brazil. We're very interested in the music of artists like Os Mutantes and Caetano Veloso, the architecture of Oscar Niemeyer, the art of Helio Oiticica. This whole notion of 'Tropical Modernism' really interests us.