Interview with Quynh Anh Ngo

Every year, graphic design students led by Fons Hickmann create individual poster designs for the next Summer University of the Arts as part of a competition. This year, the jury chose the outstanding work of artist Quynh Anh Ngo. We interviewed her about her design, it’s stories, and the process behind it.

What role does color play in your design?

First of all, for a designer the brief is the most important part and fundamental for your design. Second of all, the Summer University of the Arts 2026 was heavily inspired by the idea of Berlin summer. For me summer in Berlin is colourful, diverse and multicultural. My personal wish is, that it’s gonna be endless, because it’s the most beautiful season of the year. I wanted to reflect those ideas with my design. The motion design creates the endless possibilities of colours and mixtures and the possibilities across the applications.

How did you approach the design process for Summer University 2026?

Before the project started, we had an onboarding with the jury where we got an idea of the brief, the project and their visual identity. Then we spent three days in Sauen which felt like a retreat for me. We had a lot of fun together, let the buisyness of the city behind us and were surrounded by nature, so I could fully focus on my project and try something new. I was very open for everything.

How would you describe your work? What do you want to transfer?

My designs change project by project, so I would like to be more specific about the design for the Summer University and that is something new for me. Until now I’ve been involved in graphic design, such as fonts, shapes, colors, and similar things, but this time I worked with motion design, which is more about algorithm and coding. This visual identity is based on an algorithm I developed. The algorithm ensures that the colors constantly change, and I can record this so that it becomes my design. Experimenting has inspired me!

As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to convey the idea of summer in Berlin for the Summer University. I created a visual identity that reflects this idea. In my opinion, the more you work, the more your own style develops. Your own style reflects everything you have done before. It’s one project after another, every project you develop becomes part of your own style, which then reflects your entire identity in terms of design. I am still experimenting and developing many things. That is why I would say that my style is experimental, bold, and meaningful.

The motto of the Summer University 2026 is “Enough.” What does “Enough” mean to you in the context of your design/work?

For me personally, “enough” is a really interesting concept, because when is enough enough? For humans, there is no such thing as “enough.” We always need more. For me, “enough” means that I decide to try something new and explore it. This is the first time I've developed something with motion design. I tried out several motion design programs and became really interested in one of them. I figured out which operator works, which is a bit like programming, but more intuitive. I taught myself and tried out which code was responsible for what, and then I just did it. At this point, “enough” means to me that I really felt like I have tried my best and there is nothing to be changed. It's something intuitive and the feeling of having put my best into my work at that moment. The motto reflects a personal journey where I worked very hard and then had a moment where I felt like I had given it my all. This motto is meaningful and reflects my design process. And I hope everyone likes it!

What inspires you as an artist?

I would say that I am not really an artist. For me, there is a subtle difference between an artist and a designer. They are two different things. When it comes to a personal project, I can be an artist for myself because it's about deciding everything myself rather than serving any purpose. It only serves my satisfaction. When I have to work as a designer, it's often more practical. You have to be convincing. You have to present your design and sell your ideas.

I want to make art because it allows me to escape reality, express myself, and do what I want and what motivates me. It depends on what I want to convey. In my free state of mind, it's usually a message of a moment that I want to convey. It can also be an emotion or a feeling in that moment.

If you could give a workshop yourself, what kind of workshop would it be

If I could give a workshop, it would be a “paper + ink” workshop. I've always wanted to attend a workshop where you do something really simple about composition. You will learn a lot about your taste. Taste is something you develop yourself, project by project, but how do you do that? How do you find out what you like? The contrast between white paper and black ink allows you to practice discovering your taste. It can be abstract, you can write on it, play with it, discover shapes, or mix it with water to make it more fluid. It's a great way to train your skills and sense for visual arts. I guess, taste is the most important thing because it makes you irreplaceable. It's not about teaching you taste, but rather guiding you and finding out where your place is in the visual world. Taste defines you; you can't fake it.

What do you want to achieve with your art?

I just really want to work with great people. Learning how they found their way and how they work inspires me, and I would love to learn from them and also making projects that mean a lot to me.
 

Thank you so much, Quynh!