Bridging Art and Design: André Lavergne on Creativity and the ‘Echoes of Conscious’ Exhibition
By Olina Olseth
This fall, Parsons Paris welcomed André Lavergne, a Canadian communication designer, art director, and branding consultant, to its faculty. Lavergne has over 20 years of international experience in branding and visual identity, coupled with a passion for inclusive and accessible design. Olina Olseth sat down with Lavergne to discuss his career, his design philosophy, and the upcoming AMT junior exhibition, Echoes of Conscious. The conversation delved into the intersection of design and social discourse, the importance of curiosity, and Lavergne’s vision for empowering the next generation of designers.
A Warm Welcome to Parsons Paris
Lavergne brings a wealth of experience to his students, combining his background in fine arts with an ability to bridge art and design. Reflecting on his time at Parsons Paris so far, Lavergne shared, “The welcome has been great; it has reminded me of the tight knit school where I completed my fine arts degree. There is this nice, concentrated community and proximity, and horizontal involvement of all the moving pieces.” He also praised the smaller class sizes, which foster closer connections among students and faculty: “Everyone is a bit more invested in each other’s success.”
From Fine Arts to Communication Design
Lavergne’s path to design began with a foundation in fine arts, which he pursued for its broad cultural and visual grounding. “I chose the fine arts program because I thought it would be much more well-rounded culturally, visually, and art historically,” he explained. “I didn’t want to just be a maker but also a thinker.” Growing up in his family’s hardware store also shaped his creative instincts: “Thinking back, I understand why I’m so interested in typography, messaging, color, and space—because that environment was a visual playground.”
As a child in the 1980s, when advertising was booming and television shows glamourized the industry, Lavergne initially considered it as a career. However, he soon realized he was not drawn to its profit-driven, often impersonal nature. “I think advertising is a fascinating cultural phenomenon worthy of being studied and debated, but I find it less rewarding as a creative endeavor,” he explained. Instead, Lavergne would prefer to see designers as creative partners involved from the earliest stages of a project. “If all you want from a designer is an aesthetic treatment, that’s a very limiting view of their skillset. They can contribute so much more to an idea and the overall process.”
Designing for the Public Sphere
Lavergne believes design plays an essential role in addressing societal challenges, including sustainability. “Design is fundamentally optimistic—it’s about seeing what’s not working and imagining what could be better,” he said. He emphasizes designing with intention, creating solutions that evolve over time rather than generating unnecessary waste. “It’s healthier, perhaps less wasteful, because you’re not throwing everything away to start anew. It’s about rearranging the world thoughtfully.”
Bridging Art and Design in the Classroom
When asked about how his background in communication design informs his teaching, Lavergne described himself as a “liminal figure,” someone who bridges cultures and disciplines. “The work of the designer is about immersing yourself in different worlds, learning from experts, and transforming that knowledge into digestible, impactful experiences,” he said. While art and design differ in structure—design often being more result-oriented—Lavergne sees significant overlap. “Both require bringing the pieces together in the end,” he explained. He encourages students to push boundaries within their projects, providing them with frameworks that challenge them to think critically while remaining manageable. “It’s good to nudge and push in certain directions I believe, but it has to be executed well to succeed.”
Echoes of Conscious: Reimagining the Body
The upcoming Echoes of Conscious exhibition, with its vernissage on November 19, will showcase work from AMT juniors developed in their Studio Response class, co-taught by André Lavergne and Carlos Franklin. The assignment invited students to reimagine the body through augmentation, exploring themes like hacking, blocking, and enhancement. Lavergne explained how this ties into contemporary cultural conversations: “We’re in a moment where the body is supercharged with meaning. It’s our interface to the world and the primary medium through which we experience it—and technology is adding new layers to that relationship.”
Lavergne briefly reflected on how cultural phenomena like the recent Barbie movie mirror evolving discussions around identity and representation. He noted that the campaign revitalized a stale brand by aligning it with contemporary values of diversity and empowerment. “It’s a case study in reconnecting with an audience by reflecting on broader cultural shifts,” he said. For Lavergne, the Echoes of Conscious exhibition similarly asks students to explore how bodies—and the technologies shaping them—impact identity and perception.
Curation and Audience Engagement
Curation also plays a key role in the exhibition. Lavergne hopes students will gain insights into the design and layout of gallery spaces, as well as audience engagement. “Gallery spaces are fascinating; they create a pause in our daily lives, opening us up to new experiences,” he said. Observing how audiences react to their work will give students valuable feedback, helping them refine their creative processes.
The Power of Curiosity
Lavergne emphasizes the importance of curiosity in both teaching and design. “Curiosity to me is this idea that there are a lot of things I don’t know, but that’s not terrifying, that’s exciting,” he said. He believes cultivating curiosity is a choice that allows designers to forge new connections and perspectives. “I’m always learning—that’s how I find new visuals, expressions, and experiences.”
Beyond Parsons
Outside Parsons Paris, Lavergne is a Creative Director at SAGUEZ & PARTNERS, an independent global design agency, where he is currently working on innovative hospitality projects. For him, authenticity is at the heart of his design philosophy. “I don’t get a thrill out of my work being seen by as many people as possible—I get it from creating something that feels genuine and right for its context,” he explained. Lavergne views design as a “generous act,” emphasizing that creators should offer something meaningful in exchange for the audience’s attention.
Through his teaching, professional practice, and commitment to thoughtful design, Lavergne inspires students to consider the broader impact of their work. As the Echoes of Conscious exhibition approaches, it will be fascinating to see how the students’ work explores and interprets the diverse associations and meanings tied to the body.
