Using the past to create the future with Andrey Azizov
Encountering Andrey Azizov’s design work is a little bit like stepping into an aesthetic time portal. The New York-based designer and musician employs a nostalgia that pulls you through a keyhole to a new present. His work is familiar and beckons the viewer in, at times incorporating messaging that engages present concerns, like climate change, mental health, and the authority of the algorithm. There is an authenticity and joy in what Azizov does — it’s obvious that he’s just doing what he likes. And his appreciation of vintage aesthetics is connected to the level of craft and intention that’s necessary to create the kind of work he often references and repurposes.
“[In the past] all of the design was hand-drawn, they didn’t have an undo button, so everything had to be meticulous and with purpose,” Azizov notes. He also lauds the character of the aesthetics he so often looks to, suggesting there is often something idiosyncratic and unique in them.
“Things are like not only unique, but really, really well done because they had to be,” he said. “There was no other option.”
It’s this spirit of individuality that has seen Azizov design for major names in music; his 3D-render of a font was adapted for Doja Cat merchandise, and the members of Brockhampton wore Azizov’s designs in the form of jacket patches for their last show ever at Coachella in 2022.
Azizov collaborates with musicians often, whether on album artwork or other projects. Being a musician himself, he produces what he calls “sonic landscapes.” Azizov cites Jack Antonoff and Rostam (formerly of Vampire Weekend) as major influences. His latest single, “Alibi,” is the second collaboration he’s done with the singer zachy, whose work tends to reside within the indie pop-folk genre. This song, which is sonically heavier and more produced than most of zachy’s music, tested both artists to push outside their usual modes.
Despite the obvious differences between the mediums, Azizov finds that there are parallels between the practices of design and music.
“I think they're actually a lot more similar than different but having the two to kind of bounce off each other definitely helps me stay fresh and creative,” he explained. Further, his tendency to pull from the past finds its way into his production as well.
“I'll take an element, [such as] some vintage kind of instrument, like a 12-string guitar that's not really used that much in music nowadays, and recontextualize it in the same way that I would maybe a font or some design element with more modern production techniques and synths,” he said, describing an aspect of his more recent creative process.
Another notable collaboration — “A New World” — on his Supergraphic Ultramodern EP features artist and activist Ebonee Davis. The track saw Azizov set the stage for Davis’s spoken word poem on racism, political oppression, and the hope for a better future.
“I wanted to give her the full reigns creatively, because what she has to say is definitely way more important than like what my ideas would be,” he asserted. This is the attitude he has about his collaborations, presenting a frame around which his collaborator’s perspectives and emotions can be made focal — but he hopes to shift that somewhat. Azizov says that his musical goal for the year is to release music with his own vocals and songwriting.
“Sometimes I do wanna have a direct line to what I’m saying,” he said. This requires an inward search of his own sense of direction and voice, and the ways he can technically support his vision. This challenge becomes two-pronged given that he also designs visuals for his music.
“When I’m designing for myself, it’s actually a lot harder. Because you have to have that conversation with yourself,” he said. “It's a lot less direct [than producing for someone else], because you could go 100 different ways.”
Looking forward, Azizov is focused on honing who he is as an artist. With his wide catalogue of inspiration from the past and present, it’s clear he has access to the right raw materials. His challenge now is sifting through it, finding what speaks to him most, and continually sampling and altering to forge a creation authentic to his own process of creating the present and planting seeds for the future.
Are you ready to start learning? Click here to explore Andrey Azizov’s course on font pairing and start creating with his templates made in partnership with Adobe Express!