Saskia
BENDER
PORTFOLIO
storyteller
art director
& creative
About
me
Born in the German rhine lands I have lived in the United States, Berlin and Milan to grow as a visual artist and professional.
Coming from an academic media scientific field and cinema I worked in film production and direction as well as in media companies gaining experience in copywriting and (visual) storytelling, finding my ambition for art direction.
Starting as a Junior Associate Art Director at Wunderman Thompson (Milan), I grew into User Experience/Service Design, being part of the Catalyst Academy, an internationally acclaimed post-grad programm of the company.
my
As a storyteller I am always hunting for inspiring ideas and stories. Capturing them via photography, video, film or artwork and sharing them to make people experience and feel them.
For me storytelling and creating is deeply bound to visuals and words.
I draw inspiration from Italy and the many places I lived in, culture, politics, nature, art, film and fashion and mostly the people I met along the way.
vision
brand
design
Combining my passions for art, fashion and upcycling I recently launched my own small brand: Sashi.
The name referencing my name and the Japanese meaning of sashi, standing for ‘opposite of each other’ or ‘marbling’ underlining the concept of the two legs as a canvas for an artistic marbling in form of a design.
The brand is young, modern, highly individual and artistic.
Strategy
brand book & manifesto
Defining the brand book and manifesto shaping customer experience with a focus on enhanced, soft and gentle masculinity offering a progessive brand image for a stronger positioning in the brand sector.
Strategy
campaign & creative
For the relaunch of Duracell Optimum a Strategy focussing on Millenial women and sexuality was developed tackling the taboo of self pleasure and heightening brand visibility in a fun way whilst underlining the high performance reliability of the brand. The strategy included vibrating benches in public spaces underlining the bunny billboard featuring the collab with a sex toy brand for a pink bunny vibrator referencing also the brand mascot.
Creative
campaign & creative
For the ones having lunch alone
Connecting and talking to strangers –
you would usually never talk to.
Bringing people together – just one coke away. Removing boarders.
You can sit with us: Coca Cola transforms billboards in interactive social waiting areas, offering people a place to sit and share special moments. Coca Cola cans form into inviting seats giving people a sense of belonging with the brand whilst meeting and talking to strangers.
CX/UX
product design
Art Direction and Creative Concept for Lavazza Coffee Accessories playing with the idea of borders in society and how coffee dissolves these. The black and white concept playing with opposite accentuating copy gives the brand a modern touch whilst remaining true to its iconic symbols and shapes.
The concept also included the exploration of a collaboration with Moncler touching into fashion.
UI
design
Design of Telepass Business User Manuals and DEMs, working with Figma, PowerPoint, Xd and Photoshop.
@sashasjungl
social
media
@projectjungl
I create and curate content for Instagram directing the vision of multiple channels.
For the magazine Publizissimus I managed all social media accounts including their artistic direction and was responsible for the print layout.
For the german public broadcasting channel ZDF I worked in copywriting, social media and community management.
Photography, Art Direction & Idea: Saskia Bender
Models: Teresa Patinha, Agathe Billaudel
Fe-male gaze
PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT
Photo
fe-male gaze is a project that critiques the male gaze on the female body. This gaze is deconstructed by a female photographer having models express stereotypical behavior.
They are wearing a man's suit, symbolising patriarchy and a male-defined world. This symbol also becomes the object of the male gaze on the female body.
The scenarios chosen are places from the past that carry the history of male-defined working worlds and their decadence. "Private Property" a sign protecting more office buildings than the female body. And "Suck my Private" as a critique of menspreading and the sexualization of women in a work environment.
fashion
art direction
Being connected and working with photographers I realised a lot of fashion photo projects directing my own and the photographers vision.
Photography: Kateryna Myronenko
Model, Art Direction & Styling: Saskia Bender
Photography: An Shao Da
Model: Giulia Mussano
Art Direction & Set Design: Ruochen Mei
Art Direction Assistant: Saskia Bender
Publication: French Fries Magazine
art &
graphic
starting my artistic journey I sold art as a freelance painter realizing mostly figurative graphic work inspired by female shapes.
video
As a storyteller
and art director
I create visual poetry to combine the aesthetics of words and visuals. Also experimenting with video on social media (reels & tiktoks). I therefore also have experience in shooting and editing (Final Cut & Premiere).
Production Assistant
We Might As Well Be Dead (G/RO 2022 Natalia Sinelnikova)
Assistant Director
Sticky (G/RO 2022 Hannah Wolny)
cinema
direction & production
Approaching film from a theoretical field in my Bachelor and Master I bring experience especially in screenplay development and storytelling, film analysis and critique but also festival work (curation and screenplay) as well as direction and production.
let us
connect
