MANILA – Celebrating women and showcasing their works is truly a game changer, specially in a highly patriarchal society. Recently, adobo magazine was invited to the opening of the LOOK HERE: Featuring Works by Women Graphic Designers and marveled at the design masterpieces of amazing women graphic designers in the country.
The exhibit, organized by the Communication Design Association of the Philippines (CDAP) in partnership with Design Center of the Philippines, brought together more than 30 designers, including all-women studios/teams and women-cofounded studios based in the Philippines.
CDAP Director AJ Dimarucot remarked, “The purpose of CDAP is really to do events to show the world and the Filipinos that we are not merely product designers or furniture designers, but we are also amazing communication designers and graphic designers. Through the LOOK HERE exhibit, we uplift the value of design in the country as well as the value of women in design.”
As part of the Design Week Philippines, the show presents designers’ client works that span from branding, to logo design, publication, environmental, and motion graphic design.
“This event celebrates design in general and puts a spotlight on the work of women and their contribution to the design economy. They are also beacons to younger designers to embrace their talent and embrace a career in design,” said Rhea Matute, Executive Director for Design Center of the Philippines.
LOOK HERE features graphic designers such as Baby Imperial of B+C Design, Cynthia Bauzon-Arre, Joyce Tai of Inksurge, Bru Sim of Electrolychee, Pauline Vicencio-Despi of The Acid House, Johanna Velasco-Deutsch of Happy Garaje, Raxenne Maniquiz, Soleil Ignacio, and Myka Arnado, to name a few. It also has six studios/teams, such as: Bad Student Press, Lowbrow Design, Studio Dialogo, The Backbone Company, White Brick Design Studio, and Works of Heart.
Vivencio-Despi, one of the graphic designers who showcased her art in the exhibit, opined, “It felt empowering. I think more and more women are coming out with better works and getting more recognized. It’s a good time for female designers to really showcase what we can do.”
One of the goals of this show is to jumpstart and grow a network of women graphic designers beginning with this group. It also hopes to get a better understanding of the needs of women graphic designers working in the Philippines by opening up a panel discussion set on October 27, also at the show’s venue.
This event is organized by the Communication Design Association of the Philippines (CDAP), which aims to elevate the Philippine creative economy by raising awareness and dialogues about the local design community through supporting and organizing events such as conferences, exhibitions, and discussions. This show is in partnership with ASPACE Philippines, Design Center of the Philippines, and adobo Magazine.
Follow LOOK HERE on social media for updates: IG @womengraphicdesign.ph, and Facebook /womengraphicdesign.ph
For more information on the event, please email womengraphicdesign.ph@gmail.com
Visit LOOK HERE until October 30, 2018 at the _Gallery, ASPACE Greenbelt, Makati City. The event is free and open to the public.
