RYAN RIEGNER

Recently, through Zago I was given an amazing opportunity to work with the COP15 United Nations Climate Change Conferance that ran earlier in December. The event was the largest international political conference held in Denmark, with 192 countries represented, and over 15,000 participants engaged in an open dialogue about the global climate crisis. The conference focused on the current misuse of global fossil fuels, with the goal to develop and implement an immediate course of action to redirect climate change. As a designer, I found it engaging to become part of the dialogue in relaying this message of urgency and hope for the future of our planet.

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In the beginning of the new year, myself and Alex Levin, a good friend and savy business partner will be opening a design studio in New York City. We’ve rightly named the company ALBINO RHINO by combining the first syllables of each of our first names, and the resulting logo is a reflection of the metaphor of our partnership. We’re currently in the process of turning this new identity into a corporate brand, and have been brainstorming promotions and organizing legal documentation before the launch in January. With that said, we’re both extremely excited and ready for a massive learning curve of experiencing first hand what it means to run and operate a design firm within New York City. I’m expecting a lot of hard lessons and long nights, but I am also looking forward to pushing my limits as a designer and businessman in terms of honesty and innovation within the wonderful sphere of graphic design. Here’s the guts of our identity system that we’ve been developing.

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Some time ago I began a sketchbook in which I wanted to conduct a series of illustrative experiments, both conceptually and materially. It was a really fun experiment to engage on, and I found inspiration from many unexpected avenues. The main focus of the book was derived from ready-made materials and observations around me, and the sketchbook took on a very handmade, sporadic scrapbook type of feel by the time it was completed. It has probably been my most fun and freeing personal project to date. Please enjoy some of the selected spreads. Who knows what the next book will hold!

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Back in 1999, my father, Robert Riegner spent a solid year sentence in prison for multiple D.U.I. charges. Originally sentenced to 1-3 years at State Correctional Facility: Camp Hill, he was exposed to the harsh reality of the challenges of an inmate in the prison system. Throughout the process, he kept a daily journal of the account, describing his challenges with overcoming his addiction to alcohol. He explored the dangers and cunning needed for survival amidst dangerous convicts, and he exposed much of the corruption of the prison system. The journal was his way to maintain sanity and keep his goals in focus. Afterwords, he took the collected legal papers and created a manuscript over the next 8 years, which I have now put into a novel form.

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This alternative Gulp Corporate Identity project recently made an appearance on the home page of Logopond, and since I’ve been getting such great feedback on the logo concept, it seems only necessary to add it to my collection of logo designs. I’m overall pleased the humor of this logo, and find it to be a pleasing twist on the play of words. Anyone interested in purchasing this identity package, please contact me via email.

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Write it, Buy it, Eat it, Enjoy it is a handy (possibly even tasty) book loaded with fifty blank grocery lists for every smart shopper. Album bound with twisty ties and hand transferred onto recycled paper. Pen not included.

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These are a couple of fun paper projects that I’ve been working on, “Explode” and “Erode,” I tried to use the possible dimension of paper to simulate action with typography. I custom made the typeface and used only Fabriano Tiziano 40% acid free pastel paper and white map tacks and of course Mr. Handy Exacto.

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Feast your eyes on the Eleflate, a larger than life, but yet lighter than air, full-grown inflatable elephant. First born as a mere plastic bag, this magnificently unique creature was first spotted in New York City in Greenwich Village this past May at the Parsons School of Design. Enjoy the power of plastic! Video filmed by Jacqui Molendyke.

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Snellen eye charts are traditionally comprised of unique optotypes for determining visual acuity, but in this project, they offered me an easily recognizable typographic format in which to play with type. These are three type specimen posters showcasing Helvetica Bold, Adobe Garamond, and Trajan Pro Bold. Although they cannot replace the Snellen eye chart at an optometrist’s office, they would still make a great installation in the home of any witty type designer with an extremely long hallway!

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Paper currency, regardless of it’s technical beauty, elegant craftsmanship and saturation into everyday life, it is one of the most commonly overlooked aspects of remarkable design… so I chose to redesign some. I decided to go with the Philippine peso, as I will be traveling to Australia and Southeast Asia this winter. I chose to focus primarily on applying governmental requirements, specific imagery, color, and form relative to the Philippines that showcased both internal and external associations with this island nation, and I am more than pleased with the result. I plan to distribute them to locals, possibly as trade if and when I arrive.

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