ARTIST PORTRAIT
Illustrators, designers, stylists, painters, creators of artefacts, web artists, photographers, … Caos Comunicacion Creativa, based in Barcelona, is the studio that links the most diverse talents. Founders Christian Borau and Maria Duran got their start in the graphic world in the late nineties. Being art directors for famous clubs as Palm Beach, Cube and Zoom, fashion labels Chupa Chups, Anata Sesa, Caliu and Group, they got their Caos flyers, posters and fashion prints posted everywhere.
With their online community project Urban Freezone, Caos wants to create a bridge between urban artists from all-over the world. The Freezone project and other Caos initiatives arise from a desire to approach, update and expand today’s visual languages: “We want to be on the cutting-edge of the latest trends in style and appearance, if possible offering innovative solutions and using new graphic styles, without losing sight of our principal objective, which is that the message should be clear and accessible.”

Caos CC for Zoom Club

INTERVIEW

WHAT IS CAOS CC ALL ABOUT? WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS NAME?
Caos Creative Communication was founded in 2002 by Christian Borau and Maria Duran. We are working with a wild & wide bunch of friends and collaborators on graphic, web and art projects for our own clients and some agencies.
The name fits our way of working very well: it’s all about accumulation and composition. We also like the theory that chaos is not really a disorder, it’s just a more complex and spontaneous order.

WHEN YOU WERE A KID, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE?
Sometimes a painter or illustrator. And at other times a musician or actor. The most important was that is was something artistic…

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND?
Already from the time I was a child, I love all kind of creative expressions, and especially music and drawing. Of course it helped that I had artistic minded parents. My father was a musician, and my mother sent me to an Anthroposophy school in Germany where I got a good primal art education. Later I studied comic style drawing in the Joso School of Barcelona. Two years later I started graphic design studies at the same school.
I made a Master of Multimedia and worked in printing, as a graphic designer and later as an Art Director at Miquel Roig Associates, a small studio with big clients. I left to become a freelancer, and later I created Caos together with Maria.

Caos CC for Relevant Magazine

Caos CC for Tibetan Toybox

WHAT SPARKS YOUR IDEAS?
Sketching a lot, the music I like, good art magazines, the work of other artists, …

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCOMPLISH AS A DESIGNER?
To be creative all as long as I live!

WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF WHAT YOU DO?
The best part is definitely the freewheeling part. I like to expand one graphic identity to different supports. It’s like when a painter makes a series of paintings with the same style or concept.

CAN YOU GIVE SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON YOUR ‘COCA-COLA’ “MUSIC IS LOVE” POSTER?
The central image of the kiss is actually a self portrait. The artwork was vectorized from a photo of me and my wife Maria Duran (the other part of Caos). We’re both great music lovers, and for us this poster is very special!

‘Coca-Cola’ Remix – “Music Is Love” by Caos CC

CHRISTIAN, YOU ARE ALSO A WELL-KNOWN DJ, WHAT IS THE MUSIC YOU LISTEN TO WHILE WORKING?
I like to listen to a lot of different styles of music; it’s the only way to have a total music experience. I´m a huge fan of Prince and The Cure. When I struggle with a new design, that’s the kind of music I put on. But I also like the unique and very special statements of Miles Davis, Fela Kuti, Bauhaus, Bob Marley and Keith Jarret.
I also like to listen to flamenco/fusion artists like El Bicho, Macaco, Ojos de Brujo or Camaron. Or classical music. When I’m in a mood for electronic sounds, I listen to Thom Yorke, Depeche Mode and Amon Tobin or other Ninja Tune artists.

Caos CC for Palm Beach

IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR ARTIST YOU ADMIRE A LOT?
Definitely Prince! I like his attitude as an artist, and how he deals with the music business and fashion trends. He is always modern, he never limits himself to one style of music, he gives the impression that the music just flows out. I saw him in concert 4 times, and each time was amazing. His magnetism is enormous. Prince makes it possible to experiment a completely improvised jam session in a concert hall packed with thousands of people.

HOW WAS IT TO WORK ON NEW VECTORS, BASED ON ICONIC ‘COCA-COLA’ IMAGES?
When we got contacted to work on the Remix project, we were really happy because ‘Coca-Cola’ is a very interesting brand to work for. It’s a company with a very rich history in the world of art and advertising and with a very special emphasis in music.
In our posters we used vector elements from other Remix artists, and artists as Creative XL and Pixecute remixed some of our illustrations. It was very cool to exchange material. It was a very interesting experience to work with such a range of great artists, all with a different vision and style.

‘Coca-Cola’ Remix – “Shampoo Girls”
by Caos CC & RockAndRoll Agency

“Coca-Cola’ Remix – “Sisters are doin’ it”
by Caos CC & RockAndRoll Agency

‘Coca-Cola’ Remix – “Summer Day” by Caos CC & RockAndRoll Agency

Lumbered with the Fred Flintstone image for years, tenpin bowling has recently found a retro-cool status among the young and the fashionable.
If you travel to Atlanta, hometown of ‘Coca-Cola’, you should check out the new Ten Pin Alley in Atlantic Station. The place is owned by cool cats Ashton Kutcher and Wilmer Valderrama, servers wear vintage-inspired bowling shirts and the dj plays very groovy tunes. So ‘pick a cherry’ and ‘hammer the pocket’. Fabulous atmosphere and a guaranteed good time!

For all the bowlin’ lovers out there: here you can see an original ‘Coca-Cola’ poster from the forties plus the Remix version. Enjoy!

‘COKE SIDE OF LIFE’ REMIX VERSION
Here you can see the ‘Coke Side of Life’ Remix versions by Caos CC & RockAndRoll Agency. Life can be beautiful…

The Coke Side of Life Remix

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The ‘Coca-Cola’ Art Gallery is a collection of images that has been designed by leading artists and designers. They have all depicted their own interpretation of ‘The Coke Side of Life’ philosophy.

The work of the artists reflects various styles, personalities and cultures, and all designs have one thing in common: they are colourful explosions of energy, optimism and happiness.

Throughout its 120-year history, advertising and communication has played a vital role in shaping ‘Coca-Cola’ into an iconic, cultural and timeless brand. Over the years, ‘Coca-Cola’ has continually challenged artists and agencies to create innovative refreshing images.

The diverse backgrounds of the contributing artists and designers, has resulted in a range of images that reflect different cultures and societies. By combining the iconic original glass bottle image with up-to-date illustration techniques and styles, the artists have given rise to a progressive style of visual expression.

‘Coca-Cola’ has always had a strong artistic heritage having been famously interpreted by artists such as Haddon Sundblom, Norman Rockwell and Andy Warhol who have all reflected the social and cultural attitudes of the time.

PROJECT TEAM COCA-COLA
Peter Schelstraete, Global Brand Manager
Craig Christenson, Senior Brand Manager
Marc Mathieu, Senior Vice-President Global Brand Marketing & Creative Excellence
Special Thanks to Phil Mooney, Ted Ryan & Jamal Booker, Collections Development/Archives Department

PROJECT TEAM ROCKANDROLL AGENCY
Wouter De Coster, Creative Director
Jean-Philippe Noterman, Managing Director
Bart Torfs & Fred Feyfer, Art Directors
Contact: wdc@rockandrollagency.com

Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ‘‘Coca-Cola’’, ‘‘Coke’’, ‘The Coke Side Of Life’ and the design of the ‘‘Coca-Cola’’ Contour Bottle are registered trade marks of The ‘Coca-Cola’ Company.
Concept & Realization of ‘Coke’ Art Blog: RockAndRoll Agency ® 2007
Contact: wdc@rockandrollagency.com