Debbie Millman has an ongoing project at PRINT titled “What Matters.” This is an effort to understand the interior life of artists, designers, and creative thinkers. This facet of the project is a request of each invited respondent to answer ten identical questions and submit a nonprofessional photograph.
Luis Uribe is a multi-award-winning Mexican designer based in Cologne, Germany, with over a decade of experience in digital and interactive design. Currently, he is the Design Director at borabora studios – the real-time creative studio, specializing in art, games and immersive brand experiences for retail, events and permanent installations.
What is the thing you like doing most in the world?
What do I truly cherish most in life? Apart from warm showers, cozying up with my cats on the couch, and eating massive amounts of spicy food, I have to say, I really like it when I’m in front of the computer screen. This is where I feel most comfortable, exploring new ways to visualize and graphic design, from crafting intricate interfaces to experimenting with digital installations. As far back as I can remember, I’ve been visually driven, and continue to keep learning and finding things.
What is the first memory you have of being creative?
This takes me back to my early school days when I first laid eyes on Microsoft Paint. Oh, the wonders of those pixelated masterpieces! Despite my initial attempts which resulted in some less-than-stellar artworks, I was completely hooked.
Next came the revolutionary Microsoft 95 WOW and with it a whole new world of graphics. I vividly remember the mesmerizing animated wallpapers/screensavers and especially the one with tubes of ever-changing colors. It was like watching art come to life and I couldn’t figure out how it worked.
And the games! DOOM, Age of Empires, Prince of Persia… I was convinced those graphics were crafted in Paint! This misconception fueled my determination, and soon enough, I found something like Photoshop_ver3.12636_craked_trojan.zip.exe (Yes, you are right, questionable downloads!).
But, it was Adobe Flash that really changed things for me. The versatility of that tool was unmatched — from vector files to animations to websites, you name it. The good old days!
What is your biggest regret?
Ah, regrets…Well, I’m a firm believer in looking forward rather than dwelling on past missteps. Each decision, even the ones that didn’t quite pan out as planned, has ultimately shaped the path that led me to where I am today.
If I were to give my younger self some advice, I’d say, “Hey LU, when you’re stuck between A and B, go for option C.”
Thinking outside the box has worked well for me. Maybe, it’s a dash of luck.
How have you gotten over heartbreak?
Ah, thinking back to that first heartbreak, huh? Man, being a teenager and dealing with all that drama… I remember. So, when things went south with my first girlfriend, I’ll be honest, it hit me hard. I’d crawl into bed, blast some seriously emo music, and let myself wallow in it all. Classic move, right? Like many other creative types, I’d bury myself in work to distract myself.
But you know what really got me through? It was having my buddies around, just reminding me that life goes on. Having friends makes it all a little more bearable, you know? And let’s not forget the power of emo music (not real EMO, I’m a METAL guy but there is a lot of sad metal too). It’s like… finding solace in the sadness, you feel me?
What makes you cry?
Nothing gets me riled up like seeing people being jerks to animals. I mean, seriously, animals don’t have a mean bone in their bodies, and yet here we are, humans being all mean and nasty. I’m a pretty chill guy, but there’s definitely a part of me that’s very misanthropic. Yeah animals being hurt and the Grave of The Fireflies movie – that one’s a real soul destroyer.
How long does the pride and joy of accomplishing something last for you?
When it comes to feeling proud of my accomplishments, I’ve been humble. I mean, sure, it’s awesome to achieve something great and celebrate success for a moment. But for me, that feeling tends to fade pretty quickly. I’m usually onto the next project or challenge before I even have time to fully appreciate what I’ve accomplished. It’s how I’m wired, I guess. I mean there is always a next step and something bigger.
Do you believe in an afterlife, and if so, what does that look like to you?
That’s some deep stuff right there. I’ve always had this feeling that it’s nothing like what religion or movies have led us to believe. If I were to imagine an afterlife, I’d picture it kinda like this life, you know? Except without all the worries and pains that come with it. It’s a place where everyone can kick back and live forever, no strings attached.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about ancestry. Who were my ancestors, what were their stories, where did they come from? Being Mexican makes these things important. So, in this hypothetical afterlife, I like to think that all those ancestors are waiting for me, waiting to be discovered.
What do you hate most about yourself?
When I think about the things I’m not too fond of about myself, there’s a whole laundry list that comes to mind. Sometimes, I wish I were a bit smarter or maybe a little less lazy. And don’t get me started on how easily distracted I can be. Plus, being vertically challenged has its moments.
But, if there’s one thing that really gets under my skin, it’s this feeling of not being brave enough. I wish I could be more outgoing and fearless in facing life head-on. It’s just all these insecurities. I’m certain we all have some.
And after thinking about it, it doesn’t bother me that much.
What do you love most about yourself?
One thing I’ve really grown to love about myself is how I’ve learned to be kind and protective of me.
It might sound strange, but there are times when I catch myself having these little chats in my head, almost in the third person – giving myself a friendly reminder to stay on track and be good to myself.
What is your absolute favorite meal?
Honestly, when it comes to food, I’m all about variety. I love spicy food. Everything with strong flavors. But, if I had to pick favorites it would need to be Mexican Mole.
Mole is all flavors and colors together. Everything that makes memories of home cozy is in it. It can have a hundred ingredients and they all match perfectly. Sometimes it tastes like warm chocolate and others like the spiciest salsa. Mole is just perfect. In fact Mole, even though sauce is the main ingredient and it’s normally served with rice or protein – in my region, it’s very common to find cooked Mole with Platanos Machos. It sounds weird but oh my.