Hi Martin! Tell us about yourself, who are you and what have you done before?
My father was an artist and that's probably where an interest was born that has followed me all my life. I didn't become an artist, but after I trained as a graphic designer, I ran my own design agency, was Art Director at Nöjesguiden and various magazines with a focus on design and architecture, worked with exhibitions and programmes at Kulturhuset, freelanced and DJ'd for more than two decades. I've had a tavern, bar and club life with me since I came of age, you could say.
Tell us about your role and what you do?
I work with the Brasserie Group's restaurants as a creator and design manager. It is largely about creating an interesting environment and experience for the guests who visit the restaurants. Specifically, it can be anything from developing a new identity to designing porcelain or buying art.
You are the protagonist behind Ricordi's strong identity that hardly anyone has missed. Tell us, how do you work when you develop a new identity for a restaurant?
Ricordi was really a dream project. A blank page and something that could be filled with a lot of things. The work began with research, looking for inspiration and references. The thoughts and ideas that come up are then important to share with others for a successful outcome. This is why I am so grateful for the amazing team I had when we created Ricordi together.
Most recently, you've developed a brand new identity for East and we're actually unveiling the new logo here today! Does it feel nervous to change a logo that has been around since 1990, won the Golden Egg and is recognised by everyone?
Yes it was undeniably a big challenge. Björn Kusoffsky, who created the previous identity, I have a lot of respect for and a person I had as a lecturer when I was doing my graphic design training at Forsbergs. Three decades have passed since East opened and it still felt like the time was right to start something completely new now that the entire restaurant is being completely renovated.
Tell us about the work up to this point, what has the process been like?
Initially it was about summarising what East has been all these years, and then working out the direction for the future. Starting from the old and creating the new. You could say that I married the E symbol (the eight dots) with the word "east" so that they were united in a new logo that I hope will live at least as long as the previous one.
There is a lot going on around East now. What is your own relationship with East ?
East has been around since I started going out. Back in the mid-90s, East felt like one of the first really modern places. The decor, the design, the food and the music, everything was well thought out and the feeling was that Stockholm was now taking the plunge on the international restaurant scene.
How do you find your inspiration?
Lots of books, magazines, documentaries or just a night out on the town.
When you're not pulling off cool identities, we see you here and there behind various DJ booths. Tell us about your relationship with music.
Perhaps the most direct art form. Whether it's total euphoria and joy, or getting to travel to any place in emotion and thought. As a DJ, putting together a collage of music for an evening is one of the most fun things there is.
Thank you Martin, we love that you are part of Brasseriegruppen!
