Stefan Sagmeister

Today is better. A perforated slipcase with shiny silver lettering, containing a 240-page book with thread-bound pages and an open spine – a book that makes designers’ hearts beat faster simply through its feel and appearance. In 2024, every employee at VISUELL will receive this book as a birthday present. Was everything really better in the past? Stefan Sagmeister explores this question in “Today is better”.
Stefan Sagmeister is a renowned Austrian graphic designer and typographer, particularly known for his unconventional and visionary design approaches. His style is characterised by a love of experimentation, typographic precision and provocative, often surprising elements.
With his design studio Sagmeister Inc. in New York City, he realises a wide range of design projects – from documentaries and exhibitions to furniture. Among his best-known works is “The Happy Show”, an exhibition about his ten-year-long exploration of happiness.
Since 2012, Sagmeister has been working with the American designer Jessica Walsh under the name Sagmeister & Walsh. In the exhibition “Beauty”, they explore why people are drawn to beauty and what positive effects beauty can have.
“Beauty matters!” The concept of beauty runs through Sagmeister’s work. He argues that beauty is not merely subjective, but deeply rooted in human perception. He criticises the modern design world for often prioritising functionality over aesthetics, and emphasises that beauty plays an essential role in well-being and quality of life. Drawing on scientific findings, he demonstrates that aesthetically appealing design can have positive emotional and psychological effects. With this philosophy, Stefan Sagmeister is making a lasting impact on the world of design.
For his project “Today is Better”, Sagmeister researches historical and current facts about the state of the world and juxtaposes them. In doing so, he addresses complex social issues and long-term developments. The data he has gathered on topics such as equality, pandemics and child mortality leads him to a clear conclusion: the world is better than it thinks!
Sagmeister transforms these robust figures into expressive infographics. He uses oil paintings purchased at auction from a supposedly better era as a canvas for his data visualisations. With his innovative infographics, Sagmeister makes the positive developments in our world visible.
With his book, Stefan Sagmeister takes a stand against the zeitgeist. He invites us to discover these “beautiful numbers” and to look to the future with optimism. His data visualisations are art that inspires courage.