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Even though his delightful illustrations are cherised in 113 countries, the world-famous designer Otto Matik has never been seen by anyone for over 76 years. Educated in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, he was the mentor to several well-known designers, such as Paul Rand, Charles Eames, and Raymond Lowey.

Starry-eyed fans, literally hypnotized by Otto's trance-inducing artwork, have scoured the surface of the planet in search of their hero, only to give up in despair. More than a few disappointed seekers have been committed to asylums, others end up living in unfashionable "skid row" neighborhoods.

Because he does not wish to have an insane fan base, the legendary designer has therefore agreed to disclose enough information about himself to discourage people from attempting to seek him out. The following message was e-mailed to bOING bOING from Otto:

"Ensconced in a hermetically-sealed chamber 17 miles beneath the earth, my head floats weightlessly in a oxygenated solution of my own design (See illustration above). There is no need for you to know why and how I came to be without my body; it is enough for you to know that I get along very well without it, and that I have no desire to return to the world of the 'bipeds.' I do not expect you to understand, just as you would not expect your dog to understand why you get dressed in the morning before going to your place of employment and engage in repetitive, oft-times destructive, and ultimately meaningless behavior.

"Please stop looking for me. You will never find me, and if you come close, you'll set off a bomb that will instantly vaporize you. If you would like to correspond with me, you may send e-mail. I would be happy to talk to you about designing your web site or logo."











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Look at a gallery of Mark's drawings.

Go to bOING bOING Senior Editor Gareth Branwyn's Street Tech

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Copyright 1997 bOING bOING. This site illustrated and designed by Otto Matik.