MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Artist, graphic designer, and author Timothy Goodman was the perfect choice to end the 2024 edition of the two-day Graphika Manila conference. Much like the murals he is known for, his energy takes up the massive hall with over 4,000 delegates, standing on stage with his all-white ensemble and Filipino piano player Elhmir Saison setting the mood on the keyboard alongside him. The whole set-up definitely provided an atmosphere of charged curiosity, eager to hear what Timothy had to share with the crowd on his second time gracing the Graphika stage.
Timothy emphasized the value of using art to communicate truths, whether of one’s individual reality or social narratives, through his session entitled “Sharing your personal story is a form of activism” — a direct call and challenge to Graphika Manila’s community of creatives. This is an apt note, considering he is well known for using his platform to address social and cultural issues with works that do not shy away from commentaries on love, identity, mental health, manhood, politics, and society.
“Design is great for selling a product and making money, but how do I get the [stuff] inside, out?” he opened up to the crowd. (Timothy, being the passionate speaker that he is, actually used a different s-word with more impact.)
Art has always been that outlet for Timothy. He recalled how he used to design book covers for work, ones that sparked no inspiration within him because of their straightforwardness and mundanity. But this monotony urged him to design things for himself, reimagining those same book covers in more creative ways outside of the clients’ directions. “Do one for them, do one for you,” he said.
Through this practice of doing something for himself amidst client work, he continued to express his story and truth through thoughtful and intentional artworks. Then, in 2010, he found his trusty tool that would cement his signature style and secure his place as one of the creative community’s contemporary greats: a good ol’ marker.
From that year on, he continued to master his tools and sharpen his style. He accepted his first mural project that year for free as a way to “leverage on it for other opportunities,” but it wasn’t until 2013 that this investment made a return with his first paid mural project. In 2014, he did a live mural session at a coffee convention and learned the performance aspect of doing art. In 2015, he posted his thoughts on the internet through personally-lettered posts: “I’d rather letter my own words horribly than someone else’s beautifully,” he mused.
In 2018, he launched a collection with Uniqlo. In 2019, he made the conscious move to make art about things he cared about. This trickled to his 2020 project with the Kevin Durant Foundation to design a basketball court for kids and communities. In 2021, he released a Nike collection. And in 2022, he spotlighted the world through his works – highlighting communities, cultures, and important messages.
Now, his bold and expressive style, characterized by hand-drawn elements, has donned a multitude of canvases: from office walls to magazine covers, street murals to brand activations, packaging, billboards, statues, bags, tattoos, phone cases, cars, watches, rugs, pots, mugs, wine bottles, shirts, basketball courts, sneakers, and even the New York City sanitation truck, among many other projects. This has created Timothy’s distinct portfolio that’s very much alive and kicking in the streets of today’s world.
“As much as I’m doing the commercial work, I keep trying to find ways to connect with people,” he shared. “I don’t even know if I’m still a graphic designer. There’s a lot of stigma to designers making stuff for themselves, and I think that’s BS.”
He left the Graphika stage with this powerful message: that there’s always space in creativity to reflect one’s stories and truths, no matter the medium. As someone who is constantly looking for meaning in his work, he underlined how this — telling one’s story and truth — answers that itch for significance and meaning. That is, through connection.
“[Through art], you connect to other lonely people in the world, have hard conversations on difficult topics,” and that, to Timothy Goodman, is what really matters in a world of constant questioning, unrest, and persistent divide.
adobo Magazine is an official media partner of Graphika Manila 2024.
