It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Mitch Paone, the internationally acclaimed graphic designer who left a lasting mark on ECAL through his residency at La Becque and his teaching.
Co-founder of the acclaimed Brooklyn-based agency DIA Studio in 2009, Mitch Paone is credited with coining the term "kinetic identity systems". His deep passion for jazz music shaped his vision of graphic design and helped revolutionize the field.
In 2019, he and his partner Meg Donohoe were among the first designers invited by ECAL for a residency at La Becque. During this time, Mitch continued his research while teaching in ECAL Bachelor Graphic Design and Master Type Design. He also presented Time is Form, Form is Time, an in-depth lecture exploring his approach to kinetic identity design and typography.
We were fortunate enough to welcome Mitch to ECAL for a series of workshops, notably in February 2026 as part of the Vibrations Forward research project, the results of which will be presented in an exhibition at CIRCUIT in early October.
Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time.
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