100 Beautiful Things

100 Beautiful Things

Uri Mofsowitz

In this interview, we talk to innovative designer and printer Uri Mofsowitz about the work he’s done over the years particularly in the field of innovative wide format print production.

Tell us a little more about your background

I was born in Cape Town, and have relocated to London to create a better future for myself and my family. I started my career in computer sales & service. In 1993, a friend of mine asked me to help make a flyer for a dance party because I had a powerful computer, CorelDraw, and the willingness to figure out how to get it done. Together we created the first full-colour flyer for a dance event in Cape Town. It wasn't the best quality, but with my enquiring mind and passion for technology, we were soon pushing the limits of our computers, imagesetters and litho-printing presses. Most printers were running their dot screen at 120lpi, and we were doing 150lpi. The result was a smaller dot to create the most stunning visual flyers possible. Within 3 years my friend was a successful event promoter creating spectacles for over 15,000 people, and my business partner & I had become a niche design & print agency producing flyers for every dance event in the area. Our lack of formal training worked to our advantage. Our work looked fresh and different to the mainstream advertising around us. We soon caught the attention of larger non-entertainment companies and broadened the scope of our client base. I had seamlessly slipped into my new career, and we were becoming well known as s high-end visual design & print agency.

Describe some of the key projects you’ve worked on

100 Beautiful Things - check out the video here

The exhibition was created during the height of the South African Covid-19 lockdown. It is a celebration of talented artists and creators during an unprecedented time. The initiative started with web presence and social media campaign, which quickly grew to a social media engagement of 10x previous weeks. Following on was the creation of the physical exhibition that took place in the mall. We told a story to bring people back into retail for a beautiful experience. We developed the brand identity, graphic design and fabrication of all the different elements. The V&A Waterfront is Cape Town's premiere tourist destination attracting approximately 24 million visitors each year.

Yoco - This client challenged me to create the packaging for their portable credit card payment machine. At the time in our local market they were building a revolutionary payment platform running your business from your cell phone. They took inspiration from everything Apple produced, therefore I needed to be as good as Apple.Their first generation packaging went through over 15 iterations to get it perfect. Sometimes an iteration could change by only nudging a fold by 0.5mm to make better allowance for the thickness of the board it was produced on, or adjusting the placement of the thumb hole for comfort. We were looking at the user experience, and making the package the most logical and simple it could be, all the while taking the customer along a journey revealing the quick start guide, charging cable, user manual, shop window sticker and tent card all in the correct sequence for the ultimate easy understanding of the product. Each piece of collateral was produced to the highest quality, for example, the shop window sticker was silk-screen printed in 17 layers. It needed to have their brand colour, Visa & Mastercard logos all being colour true, then white, silver, white for blockout, and then the print again in reverse. Yoco soon became my biggest client and called upon me for every item they needed; From wallpaper, to specialised branded blockout UV vinyl for their new office windows. Giant polystyrene mockups of their devices, banners, bill folders and perspex POS stands. It was an honour to be challenged and then to deliver on all their needs.

Zeitz MOCAA Museum - I am the proud supplier to the world-famous Zeitz MOCAA museum in the V&A Waterfront. I have advised on all paper products, choosing the correct paper stocks, finishes, binding methods and special finishing in order to create the correct impression for a world-class retail product. I was also closely involved in the choices made for all "not for sale" items like custom wrapping paper rolls, paper bags, corded bags, plastic bags, stickers and poster cores. As an agency, we were also responsible for all the visual messaging throughout the store regarding design and production. Being an art museum every item was carefully chosen for its specific visual effect and textural feel.

What are the things you like about print?

Print is a tactile medium that exists in your hands, in the real world. It has an effect that is uniquely personal. You can touch it, feel it, hear it and see it. You can even smell it if you add a special scent, or even just the smell of ink could trigger an emotion. Comparing print to television or cinema, it engages more senses and it just feels closer. It will always have a special place in my heart, and it could never be replaced.

What are the key elements for success in future in your view?

The rate at which markets, technology and people are evolving, means that we will need to adjust our processes for constant change. We will all need to become more adaptable in order to remain relevant. I believe previous models involving heavy financial gearing will no longer be relevant. Most importantly we will need to find ways to support our people through the financial strain, and mental strain that the Covid level of uncertainty has sprung upon us. If we have strong resilient people then our print businesses will endure and remain successful.

And anything else you might like to include?

The "100 Beautiful Things" Exhibition was produced on Xanita board, which is manufactured in South Africa, but exported to many countries around the world, including the UK. I experience it as a magical product for the following reasons:

- It is manufactured from recycled pulp, and is 100% recyclable.

- It is lightweight like paper, but strong like wood.

- It is printable on both sides.

- It can be used to produce bulkheads, furniture, cabinets, or just about anything you can think of.

- It arrives on-site flat pack and takes little time to unfold and assemble. This allows for much faster build-up for expos, and less manpower required to do it.

Contact Uri for more information here.