SVA MA Design Research, Writing and Criticism presents a lecture that celebrates the memory of department faculty member Phil Patton, an acclaimed design journalist who revealed the rich and complex stories of everyday objects. Each year, MA Design Research invites a researcher, writer or designer who is working in the spirit of Phil: approaching design with boundless curiosity and a critical eye. RSVP here.

Speaker:
Natasha Jen is an award-winning designer, an educator and a partner at Pentagram. Born in Taipei, Taiwan, she joined Pentagram's New York office in 2012.

A three-time National Design Award nominee, Jen's work is recognized for its innovative use of graphic, verbal, digital and spatial interventions that challenge conventional notions of media and cultural contexts. Her work is immediately recognizable, encompassing brand identity systems, packaging, exhibition design, digital interfaces, signage and wayfinding systems, print and architecture.

Jen is a faculty member at the School of Visual Arts and is a guest critic at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Yale University School of Art, Cooper Union, Rhode Island School of Design and Maryland Institute College of Art.

Respondent:
Khoi Vinh is principal designer at Adobe, where he is charged with aligning Adobe's design initiatives more closely with its customers, its partners and the community. Previously, he was design director for The New York Times. He writes a widely read blog on design and technology at Subtraction.com and lives in Brooklyn, NY with his family.

Moderator:
Adam Harrison Levy is a writer, producer and MA Design Research, Writing and Criticism faculty member.

Talk

Third Annual Phil Patton Lecture: Natasha Jen

SVA Theatre