Jonas Oesch

Curious octopus experimenting with magic ink.

An obscure paper called Magic Ink has forever set the direction of my career. It describes the potential of information design in an era where ink can react to the reader. I'm still playing catchup almost 20 years after its publication.

As a visual journalist at the Swiss daily newspaper NZZ, my ambition is to take on topics that take a lot of time and mental work to grasp and make them comprehensible in the span of one article. I usually fall short.

I teach and have teached at various universities. Most recently on visual storytelling at the Bachelor in Data Design and Art.

Before that I have researched the effectivity of Scrollytelling during an MSc. in Computer Science at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland.

Originally, I have worked as a print designer at Stämpfli Ltd. and have earned a BSc. in Engineering focusing on “print and interactive media management.”

You were wondering about the curious octopus part? It is from a quote on how to be creative from James Webb Young:

Feel it, turn it, fit it. With the tentacles of your mind. Like a curious octopus.

Sounds like me.