Winner of the POP Project gym bag design competition - a conversation

Every year, Deutsche POP organizes numerous projects in which talented people can demonstrate their creative skills. This year, Quang Huy Jackson, a graduate of Deutsche POP, took first place in the "gym bag design" competition with his impressive design: The design won over the public voting on Instagram. In a short interview, he gives us an insight into his sources of inspiration, his career and his experiences with Deutsche POP. 

POP: What can be seen on your gym bag design? 

Jackson: It centers around a cyber photographer who has modified bodies with cameras to capture the world in a special way.  

POP: How did you come up with the motif, and what's the story behind it? 

Jackson: The inspiration for this work came from my fascination with the increasing fusion of people and technology in our modern world. My enthusiasm was sparked by the Netflix series "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners", which I highly recommend to any animation fan.

POP: What is your personal style as an artist? 

Jackson: Personally, I would say that I haven't found my own style as an artist yet. I like to experiment with different tools, programs and styles, and my interests range from 3D motion design & VFX to photography & graphic design to the world of artificial intelligence. This is how my work is created, often by combining techniques from different areas. My image for the gym bag is a case in point. 

POP: What did you do at POP and what are you doing at the moment?

Jackson: Although I studied photography at POP, I now work in a film agency. My passion for film started very early on. But I chose to study photography to gain a whole new experience and the professional versatility now helps me in the film agency. As we are a relatively small team, everyone takes on several areas of responsibility. I mainly work in post-production, where I'm responsible for editing, VFX and occasionally 3D. But sometimes I'm also involved in filming as an assistant and BTS Photographer & Videographer. In addition to working for the agency, I also occasionally take on freelance assignments or take part in competitions such as POP Projects.  

POP: What do you think of the POP Projects? 

Jackson: It's always a good opportunity to put theoretical knowledge into practice with a lot of creative freedom and make something physical, tangible out of my work.  

Congratulations to Jackson on winning this year! If you're curious about what else he does, check out his Instagram channel here.