Most people have never heard of it, fans claim it doesn’t exist anymore. Nevertheless (or for this reason) vaporwave is a genre you should take a closer look at: the microgenre of electronic music, consisting of slowdown, remixed and appropriative music, was the first genre to exist only and entirely on the internet. It was not only known for its obsession with the 80s and 90s consumer culture, but also for its satirical take on consumer capitalism and pop culture. By experimenting with early Internet imagery, late 1990s web design, glitch art, anime and 3D-rendered objects in its cover artwork and music videos, the aesthetics of vaporwave is just as loud and expressive as the music itself.
The work Vapor Scarf, a collaboration between the designer Jules Durand and the Clusterduck Collective, brings the Vaporwave movement back to life – at least through its creative features. The strong and popping colors and the internet inspired graphics are strongly reminiscentof the nostalgic vapor wave aesthetic and almost seem to be a tribute to the movement. The typeface “Internet United” designed by Jules in 2018 adds perfectly to this colorful, energetic look. It was inspired by a famous calligraphic font of Friedrich Peter published by Letraset on 1975. For the project, Jules made “a quick revival” of the typeface that he sent over to Tommaso Cappelletti ans Silvia Dal Dosso from the Clusterduck Collective. “The’ve done the magic artwork of the two scarfs in a retro colorful style that is lovely af!”, he says.
Despite working between Athens and Berlin at the moment, Jules Durand is currently finishing his master degree in the Graphic Design Department at the ENSAD of Nancy, France. Workwise, he always felt connected to the graphic and typographic work of the ANRT (L’Atelier National de Recherche Typographique) which based in the same building as the ENSAD. While working in Athen for the Parachute Type Foundry founded by type designer Panos Vassiliou, he found the perfect environment to develop his skills in type design and typography. His work ranges from experimental typefaces to contemporary web and print projects. The main engine, as well as the starting point of his practice is typography, language and the relationship between both.
Clusterduck works as an interdisciplinary collective at the crossroads of research, design and transmedia and focuses on the processes and actors behind the creation of internet related content. At the moment their main goal is the development of a long-feature documentary about digital art and pattern recognition. Next to the Vapor Scarf, you can find other post-internet products in their shop.
After their first meeting on a party in Berlin, Franziska invited Jules to be part of The Wrong Biennale, an exhibition curated by Clusterduck. Jules submitted a Meme Manifesto which will soon be released renewed as a collective work between him and the collective. Since then they have worked on and off for the last two years. “It was always a pleasure to work with them. It could be via E-Mail, via chatrooms or some telegram or messenger groups, but we are always connected which is very nice”, says Jules describing the working process. As far as future collaborations, the designer is open for any possibilities and sees collaborative work as a good way to gain new energy and new ideas.
Vaporwave is dead? We don’t think so. This collaboration is definitely the visual proof you should consider wearing around your neck this spring.
Jules Durand aka @lazy_dog.ttf
Clusterduck Online Shop
