Interview with Marieluise Kämpf

Every year, the design for the Berlin Summer University of the Arts is created in a poster contest in collaboration with the UdK Graphic Design class supervised by Fons Hickmann. Let us introduce you to the talent behind the design of the BSUA 2025: Marieluise Kämpf. We’ve chatted to her about her design concept and her work as a graphic designer.

 

Hi, I’m Marie! I’m now in the fifth semester of my bachelor's degree in the graphic design class at UdK Berlin. My work is inspired by typographic experiments, and I'm passionate about dynamic forms and lines, colours and exploring photography.

What was your design process for the BSUA 2025 like, can you tell us about how you came up with this idea and brought it to life?

We created our designs during a trip to Sauen, Brandenburg, where the UDK has an estate with a big garden in which we were able to experiment a lot. My first idea was to trace the shadows of trees onto paper. When I saw the photo that I took of the shadow on paper, I instantly knew: that's the poster.

This year’s theme of the BSUA is Utopia. How is this theme reflected in your design?

For me, utopia always has something to do with different or multiple worlds, and I found the depiction of something in the form of a shadow really fitting. In the animation, you can see the leaves gently swaying back and forth in the wind, which creates a play of light and shadow. The shadow becomes a representation of a utopian world with an atmosphere of calm and harmony – like that of a summer day. I wanted to convey exactly this feeling with the poster.

Can you describe what a utopia would look like for you?

To me, it is a peaceful world where nature and humans live in harmony, and where all resources are available to everyone.

Many of this year’s courses engage with questions of how art can help to create a better world. Do you think it’s possible for art to make a change?

I think that art can be so loud in silence – just through its presence. It can provoke people’s thought processes, and thereby change or broaden their perspectives. Art is also something very emotional, it touches people. I believe that if art can move humans to show more emotion and vulnerability, a better world can emerge through that alone.

How do you approach a design task – do you instantly have a concept in mind or do you need to experiment or gather inspiration first?

I often begin my design process by exchanging ideas with other people to gather some opinions on my work. I also gain a lot of inspiration from art and books: Sometimes it’s enough to go to an art library and browse through everything.

Do you prefer working analogue or digitally?

I couldn't say that I like one more than the other. I do often tend to go digital first because I want fast results. Recently through, I promised myself to be more patient and to always start with analogue experimentation that doesn’t need to provide a result straight away. The BSUA design is a good mix of both formats: I created an analogue shadow that I then photographed and refined digitally.

Does nature often inspire you? What else inspires your work?

In all my design processes, my first thought somehow has a connection to nature. Apart from that, looking at books and art really helps to gather ideas. What inspires me is above all, though, are my initial emotions about a project. For example, at the prompt of “Berlin Summer” I instantly felt a sense of peace, so this is what I wanted to convey in my design.

Speaking of Berlin summer – what do you like most about it?

I love that everything is green, that people are in a good mood, and that you can be outside a lot. There’s so many possibilities available: whether it’s day or night, you can always do something.

If you could only take part in a BSUA workshop that is not in the field of design, which discipline would you choose and why?

It does have a bit to do with design, but I would really like to do something with textiles. Creating patterns with your hands, working with different fabrics, sewing, and especially weaving is really intriguing to me.

Thank you, Marie!