In your songs sing the renown of Cloudcuckooland – this happy town ...
Aristophanes, The Birds, 414 BC
Cloud Cuckoo Studio was created by us, Claudia Boldt and Katharina Koall.
Our studio is based in London, where we illustrate, animate and design.
As part of our practice we also teach and organise workshops. We love what
we do and keep an inventive and versatile approach to new projects –
ideas are central to our work. Our studio uses eco friendly materials and
production methods.
Clients include 2 Simple / Engage / Demos, VAA, Dott 07, Design Council, Innovation Team, Kent City Council, AA for Engine / 3 Mobile for RSA Films / Carat / Proboscis / TV-animation A/S / The Woodland Trust / Andersen Press / Dr Foster Intelligence / Child's Play
Publications include 3x3 Illustration Directory, January 2009 / 3x3 Professional Illustration, December 2009 / Illustrative Catalogue, October 2009 / Images 33, August 2009 / Freistil – The Black Issue, April 2009 / The Memory Cloth, edited and published by Wood McGrath, July 2006
Exhibitions & Awards include
Illustrative, New Talent, Berlin, October 2009
Images 33, LCC, London, August 2009 (Touring the UK until August 2010)
A View of London exhibition at the London Transport Museum in May 2009
Power by Numbers exhibition at the Bodhi Gallery, London, May 2009
Sketch it Out exhibition at the APW gallery in New York, April 2009
The Young Illustrators Award Exhibition in Zürich, October 2008
Lost to View, Screenings at Late at Tate Britain, Museum of London &
St Brides Library, London. November 2006, June 2007
The Memory Cloth, curated by Wood McGrath, July 2006
Claudia studied at Glasgow School of Art and Kingston University, London.
AN INTERVIEW WITH CLOUD CUCKOO STUDIO
by Herman Walther
Who is Cloud Cuckoo Studio?
We are a multi-disciplined design studio, created by us,
Claudia Boldt and Katharina Koall.
What is it?
It is the place where we illustrate, animate and design. Alongside our commercial practice we work on self-initiated projects and try to exhibit frequently. Outside of this great place we also lecture and organise workshops.
When and where did it all start?
In 1983 we met in Cologne in the backyard of a much hated nursery school. We did not know what good things still lay ahead. After many detours through Paris, Glasgow, Vancouver and Copenhagen we finally, in 2007, found ourselves drawing in the same room again. Inevitably we founded Cloud Cuckoo Studio in London's east end.
Why did it all start?
The question was if not today then when?
There was an apparent connection between our practice which displays itself not so much in the aesthetics of our work as in a shared vision for illustration. Our studio is based on the romantic vision that illustration takes us closer to strange worlds – new and wonderfully absurd places where characters start living a life of their own and viewers construct their own interpretation, one which is meaningful to themselves.
We understand ourselves as authors who express a personal and political point of view through our work. Our aim is to create both single and sequential images that make the average, mundane and useless interesting, illuminating and useful.
What is good about working as a collective?
It takes courage to set up on your own and we encourage each other. We support, inspire, criticise and appreciate each others work as well as trust each others judgement.
Above all it makes lunch more fun!
Where did the name Cloud Cuckoo Studio come from?
We go by the name of Cloud Cuckoo Studio as it describes what illustration should be: optimistic and crazy, but thoughtful. The reference is to the play by Aristophanes where it says:
In your songs sing the renown of Cloudcuckooland – this happy town ...
The Birds, 414 BC
Do you work on your own or collaboratively?
Although we usually have our own projects and we don't work on one piece of paper we discuss ideas and sometimes collaborate on personal projects or commissions.
If we both, for example, want to enter the same exhibition we sometimes agree on the theme and size of the drawings. We feel that our work gains a lot from working together conceptually but like to foster our individual identity (personal approaches) in the work we produce. Finally the work will relate to each other but also exists in its own right.
What inspires you?
Life and death and Harpo Marx.
How would you describe your work?
Our work is mainly about engaging and unique characters and narratives with intellect and humour but also the more decorative side of things like hand-drawn typography and patterns. Sometimes but only sometimes it can get melancholic and sad when characters feel a sense of disquietude and unhappiness, but after all there will always be fish and chips.
What are your favourite materials and tools?
We work both analogue and digitally. Our illustrations are often made by using a combination of different working methods and materials, such as inks, felt-tips, pencils, paint, linocut, etching, screen print and coloured pencils.
How would you describe your working method?
Process is important – the working method should leave room for something to occur that was not anticipated. We try to keep an inventive and versatile approach to new projects.
Moreover, we constantly try to expand the way we record the world around us. Collecting and keeping a daily diary plays a vital part in our working process. Sometimes it is important to let the moment go by, to not record something immediately but the sketchbook helps us to collect ideas we might otherwise forget.
What are your creative ambitions?
To entertain and to be truthful. Or more practically to get better in telling stories which are personal but appeal to many as they reflect and explore universal emotions, interests and ideas. What is it that we want to say that people will listen to?
What's next for Cloud Cuckoo Studio?
We are setting up Cloud Cuckoo Press – a way to promote ourselves and to show our personal work.
We want to keep up the good spirit. We want to keep changing!
Note: This interview did not take place on Wednesday 15th of April 2009 and none
of it is true or imagined.