Unlearned

Unlearned is a new editorial project by Readymag that explores the gap designers and artists often encounter between academic training and professional life.

Unlearned consists of short essays by 13 designers and artists who share lessons that became clear only after completing their studies. Among them are internationally renowned figures like Stefan Sagmeister, Shantell Martin, and Erik Kessels, as well as independent practitioners such as Harriet Richardson, Jipeng Zhu, Raissa Pardini, Jarrett Fuller, and Cherry-Ann Morgan.

Unlearned highlights the diversity of experiences that shape a designer’s career. Some authors reflect on key early career steps—for example, Jipeng Zhu’s rapid transition from university to work at Sagmeister & Walsh, or Sarah Boris’s strategic portfolio restructuring before joining the Barbican Centre in London. Others take a more philosophical approach: Erik Kessels writes about the value of experimentation before work reaches a professional audience, and Shantell Martin reflects on how creative identity can’t simply be “switched off.”

Several essays also address broader issues of identity, ethics, and cultural context in design. Cherry-Ann Morgan discusses how reconnecting with cultural heritage can challenge dominant Western narratives, while Harriet Richardson reflects on maintaining creative integrity within professional practice.

The project embraces contradictions rather than offering a definitive plan of action. The collected reflections show that creative careers rarely follow a linear path, evolving instead through questioning, curiosity, experimentation, and reinvention.

With Unlearned, Readymag contributes to the industry’s broader design conversation, offering points for reflection for design students and recent graduates as well as experienced professionals.

Read the full project HERE.

Producer: Alya Datii
Chief editor: Tatyana Kovalchuk
Editors: Bazhena Gurlenia, Alex Ferapontov
Design: Francisco Pires