Launch Recite Me assistive technology
A typographic composition of overlapping names and words in red, blue and green against a black background. Legible text includes “Hans Ulrich Obrist”, “Nico Vascellari” and the phrase “Only Fire”.

For graphic designer Yosh, it’s all about “pushing the edge” through abstract typography

The Berlin-based designer talks us through his process and how he uses his work to communicate values of “openness, liberalism and community”.

—
Date
1 June 2023

Share

Yosh (known mononymously) is one of those graphic designers who works on the cutting edge of the contemporary. His pieces all feel current and of the moment, but with a uniqueness that makes them stand out from the crowd. There’s a clear focus on typography and form in Yosh’s work, often showcasing how type itself can become part of a graphic image.

“I work almost exclusively in the digital realm and would never start a process with pen and paper, let alone with research,” he tells It’s Nice That. “I rely on digital tools in my work because they allow me to explore a wide range of possibilities and I see this variance as the key to expressive design.” So what makes Yosh’s work so unusual? He mainly attributes it to form-changing and abstracting functions, using randomisers and complex filter chains in the process. “Ideally, the result is unique, and the use of the tools is not apparent in the final design,” he says.

For Yosh, it’s all about “pushing the edge”, taking that lettering just one step further into “crazy” and making it as engaging as possible. “While I strive to communicate values like openness, liberalism and community through my formal visual work,” he says, “I am convinced that also purely abstract and visual works can be highly effective in influencing and connecting with viewers.”

A red poster featuring a line-up of DJs in a mix of bold black sans-serif and white cursive typography. The text includes “22 April”, “Panorama Bar” and names such as “Dj Gigolo” and “Rike Lomo”. Small white text at the bottom reads “Live from Earthklub, Label Night, Friday, April 22nd 2022”.
Above

Yosh: LFEK Klubnacht at Berghain, poster, with Tim Lindacher (Copyright © Yosh, 2022)

Three open spreads from a design book featuring German text and abstract graphic studies. The pages display a series of black geometric shapes, calligraphic marks and simplified heraldic symbols.
Above

Yosh: Heraldic Flexions, graduation project, overview (Copyright © Yosh, 2022)

Four posters featuring expressive, calligraphic typography over different coloured backgrounds. Each poster lists dates and names in a stylised, graffiti-inspired script, with the backgrounds in red, cream, black and pink.
Above

Yosh: LFEK Klubnacht at Berghain, poster series, with Tim Lindacher (Copyright © Yosh, 2023)

A grid of nine images showing the packaging and vinyl records for a release titled “Live from Earth Klub”. The red sleeves feature different abstract images and a hand-numbered sticker reading “078/350”.
Above

Yosh: Vinyl System for LFEK, with Tim Lindacher (Copyright © Yosh, 2021)

A black typographic logo on a white background reads “EXPL” above “RERS”. A rough, circular ink stroke cuts through the middle of the word, splitting the letters.
Above

Yosh: Explorers variable Logo, with Jannis Maroscheck (Copyright © Yosh, 2022)

A white T-shirt featuring a white Nike swoosh logo. Below the swoosh, a small yellow heart contains a tiny swoosh, and the word “EXPLORERS” is printed in white.
Above

Yosh: Explorers Boiler Room Crew Shirts, with Jannis Maroscheck (Copyright © Yosh, 2023)

A person wearing a white headscarf is seen from the side, partially obscured by long blades of green grass. Bold, white gestural brushstrokes are layered over the centre of the image.
Above

Yosh: Visual for Stress Studio, with Jannis Maroscheck (Copyright © Yosh, 2023)

A blurred figure in a bright red outfit stands against a dark, streaky background. The Mercedes-Benz logo and the word “UNHEARD OF” are laid over the centre of the image.
Above

Yosh: Logo for Mercedes-Benz, Dolby ATMOS, »Unheard Of« (Copyright © Yosh, 2023)

A collage of four graphic posters for music events. The designs feature a mix of bold typography, abstract shapes, and lists of performing artists.
Above

Yosh: Bau Mich Auf Festival 2021, Explorers Boiler Room, LFEK North America Tour 2023, InterCityExcess Festival, with Tim Lindacher (Copyright © Yosh, 2023)

A close-up of black and white printed materials tucked inside white tissue paper. One page features the bold text “ALDIC FLEXIONS” alongside a series of abstract, jagged black shapes.
Above

Yosh: Heraldic Flexions, graduation project, book cover (Copyright © Yosh, 2022)

Hero Header

Yosh: Silk Screen System for Reference Festival (Copyright © Yosh, 2022)

Share Article

About the Author

Joey Levenson

—

Joey is a freelance design, arts and culture writer based in London. They were part of the It’s Nice That team as editorial assistant in 2021, after graduating from King’s College, London. Previously, Joey worked as a writer for numerous fashion and art publications, such as HERO Magazine, Dazed, and Candy Transversal.

It's Nice That Newsletters

Fancy a bit of It's Nice That in your inbox? Sign up to our newsletters and we'll keep you in the loop with everything good going on in the creative world.