Jean Pierre Consuegra’s posters use the “mechanical and anti-design” aesthetics of surveillance UI

Jean Pierre Consuegra’s portfolio is brimming with some of the most exciting event posters we’ve seen in ages, full of hyper-edited, cut-out photographs, neon hues and Y2k references. It’s likely down to his interesting approach to material and techniques, namely, using “anything at [his] disposal”, like found imagery, and refusing to stick to one style or aesthetic, continually bouncing around.

This creative restlessness has recently brought Jean to a new obsession: surveillance UI. “Some of that stuff is so beautiful and so mechanical and anti-design,” says Jean, “it, like, scratches the itch in my brain in a great way.” One poster uses the airport X-ray scan of luggage as its foundation, while another mocks up a deli surveillance system, using super zoomed-in action shots. What’s really clever, however, is how Jean is able to include information for the nights and gigs the posters promote without deviating from the surveillance aesthetic, making use of information windows and pop-ups.

Jean’s journey into design was something of a happy accident. He was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, and raised in a suburb of Orlando before moving to LA and is now based in New York. In 2020, Jean started his own record label in Brooklyn, Somersault Records, but “I was too poor to afford a designer so I decided to make our designs myself and download Photoshop,” he says. “I would’ve never imagined downloading some program would have gotten me to where I am right now.” When it comes to influences, Jean often finds himself looking outside of the design world, to Chris Maggio’s photography and the music of Vegyn, both of which he sees as “depicting humanity in this fun and playful way while still having beauty at the forefront”. Juan does have some designer heroes though: “I absolutely love Tibor Kalman, even though he would’ve probably hated everything I’ve ever made.”