Design Thought Leader

I would like to write a novel. I would like to write fiction about design. I am very interested in writing and exploring the medium of writing in relation to design. I think that would be my fantasy project. I love Maira Kalman. I love her book that just came out, The Principles of Uncertainty. It’s her beautiful paintings combined with her written memoirs and thoughts about the world. She’s an amazing artist. She’s a real hero to me. And I would love to do a book. I wouldn’t do something poetic like that, but I would do something more funny and about life. That would be a dream project.

At this point in my career, I could do such a book if I wanted, because I could always publish it myself. The challenge is doing these things and having them reach an audience. It’s very important to me not to do projects that are self indulgent, and I think often design authorship is very self indulgent. It’s whatever is somebody’s pet obsession, and for me it’s very important to connect to an audience.

Ellen Lupton
Designer, Writer, Curator, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum