Sure you may think you're creative, but when it comes to out-of-the-box thinking, there's not a bigger collective than The KDU. In 2003, the Keystone Design Union was put together, in order to act as a creative strategic consultancy, and today now has 800 members in 60 different countries worldwide.
In this two-part video series, we sit down with some of the charter members from the clique like musician 88 Keys, photographer Phill Knott, designer Eric Vogel, artist Aerosyn-Lex Mestrovic, as well as President of the cooperative, David Gensler. To learn more about The KDU, watch parts 1 and 2 of "Inside The KDU" below...
PART 1: ON THE COLLECTIVE
PART 2: ON THE ART OF COLLABORATION
BeLuxe July 8th, 2009 at 07:17 PM
"THE IDEA OF COLLABORATION IS AT THE CORE OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS...." THE KDU HAS IT GOING ON!!! CHECK IT OUT...
CL July 9th, 2009 at 02:19 PM
nice.
Okay... July 9th, 2009 at 11:53 PM
So what exactly do they do? I just hear a bunch of big words and complicated phrases getting thrown around without specifically breaking down what their main objectives are.
Profit July 10th, 2009 at 02:16 AM
Build brands and make money.
Spoken Word July 10th, 2009 at 11:40 PM
Beware of anybody who asks you to trust them. I have this message to all those of the KDU, fend for yourself and keep it in check. The KDU is invisible. The only one to profit from all of this is Dave Gensler. Period.
Haterade July 12th, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Spoke Word must have had their feelings hurt and felt neglected at some point. fend YOURSELF. We are watching.
100 July 12th, 2009 at 01:14 AM
Hi Haters!
HELL YEA! July 16th, 2009 at 08:54 AM
David Gensler is a very intelligent man! Making a lot of money out from a large amount of people, and making the wolf look like a fuffy little sheep - by saying it all works out from COLLABORATION... hahaha... very nice, very nice!
100 July 16th, 2009 at 04:01 PM
Oh my... Hello Haters!
plasmosis July 16th, 2009 at 06:37 PM
KDU is setting an example out to the World on how ALL Companies and other Design Agencies should work! No more "Buy this car to drive to work - Drive to work to pay for this car"... (traffic sold separately)
Spoken word II July 17th, 2009 at 05:03 PM
imo kdu is stupid i was thekdu member and never been asked to collaboration. however its only be proud of thekdu and shout out to everyone, the more shout out you respect kdu for nothing, people will remember the name. thekdu is about the brand and money-making by david.g. all the artists must put thekdu credit, build the portfolios and no money from collarboration with thekdu. it's completely free you work for kdu. now you know the truth. you see the most of the eldest artists left kdu because there's nothing interested about kdu, only do free works for david while he makes money from your work-so-hard and you put it in your portfolio with kdu credit which is useless. david is very smart to trick the young artists and has built thekdu what the world know. i agree with spoken word. sorry my eng is not my first lang. im from europe.
Spoken Word is Right July 18th, 2009 at 11:12 PM
Why is Complex giving props to the KDU, what have they really done? You only see the Royal when Gensler is around. What stores carry SVSV? Chris Bevans you are a genius designer, what is Gensler doing for you? Monihan you are an amazing filmmaker and artist, has Gensler got you paid? KDU puts on a good show, but at the end of day, it seems like it all comes back to Gensler. I ain't really even have nothing against the guy personally. But this is more of the same type of d-riding, and for what? I bet one of Gensler's old interns is now at Complex and pitched this idea of a KDU story. I really enjoy many of the KDU artists, they are super talented and can get props all on their own, so unless KDU is putting food on your table, can someone explain why you would ride for the KDU? I've never heard of any of these people getting paid from the KDU.