Creative Director Kelvin Soh asks “what does"ugly” even mean?“
What is ugly? Who decides whether something is ugly? Is it personal and subjective? Is it collective and inherited? And, is it really a negative adjective? Talking to the global theme of Ugly, Kelvin Soh takes a look to the idiosyncrasies, vagaries and judgements surrounding the notion of the “ugly.”
For Kelvin, ‘design’ should never be defined purely as a vocation but thought of in the same way as writing – an activity approached differently depending on context. For example a writer might write a fictional novel, magazine interview, screenplay and personal letter in the course of a week. Kelvin’s interest in a more personal, meaningful design practice has led to him amassing a collection of found ephemera, publications and ‘amateur’ signage; things often considered ‘ugly’ when viewed through the lens of commercial or conventional design.