The winners of the first adobo Design Competition are back! Here are the personal accounts of their scholarship in Milan’s Nuova Accademia di Belli Arti Milano (NABA), where they came, saw and conquered their old views of the world.
Lost & Found
by Mark Anthony Pasco
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They say that life is a journey, not a destination. And for me, life is a set of experiences from which a person learns along the way. Some just leave a sandy footprint upon one’s memory, and then it’s gone. Some experiences are so powerful; it’s life-changing.
My brief stay in Milan and in NABA was not of the fleeting variety. The experience altered my space in the arts, giving me a wider frame for a perfect shot of the world. I never knew that I could—or needed—to discover myself in a different perspective. I always thought that I was good enough to express my thoughts without fear. It wasn’t until I stepped into that quiet yet prestigious design academy that despite my high opinion of myself, I found I had so much to learn.
Inside and outside the campus, I came across a surplus of ideas, places and cultures. My classmates came from different parts of the world, and meeting them challenged my views on every topic. We talked about religion, politics, economics, language, sex, war, discrimination…even the finer points of world cuisine. I especially enjoyed having my Indian roommates explain their exotic delicacies to me. It’s truly amazing to share so much with people from such diverse backgrounds, from the personal, the cultural to the downright inane.
Not being fluent in Italian, I made my way around Milan. Thank God, I knew the magic words “Mi scusi. Parla Inglese? (Excuse me. Do you speak English?)” Each time I uttered them, I prayed that the answer would be “si (yes).” If I was lucky, I gave it my best shot—a smattering of English with matching sign language—and occasionally, I pretended to understand their replies, with “grazie (thank you).”
Who knew I would survive by doing that on a daily basis? Not me.
Our class spent most of our time in local galleries and exhibits, taking pictures of Milan’s urban environment. The objective was to find stimuli that would translate visual experiences into graphic design. During these tours, we expanded our knowledge by imbibing Italian culture through its design.
What I most liked about Italians was their concern for the preservation of historical buildings. They were more aware of Italian history, simply because they live in buildings that have stood for hundreds of years.
On weekends, I visited Michelangelo’s David in Florence, the Rialto Bridge in Venice, the Sistine Chapel in Rome and other works that I had only seen in textbooks or heard from my college professors back home. But seeing them wasn’t as important as the simple act of exploring Milan and Italy’s many cities. It opened my mind and allowed me to think about design in a more complex manner, in parallel with modern design.
Even just sitting in NABA’s library, as I did research for our projects, I thought about the great scholars and geniuses that came before me. Maybe they sat in this same chair, hunched over this same table, looked at this same book. It was very humbling.
In the end, I found that I was never really lost in Italy. (Except when I missed the train to Venice and didn’t know how to change my ticket and catch the next train—thank God for magic words.) I just needed a challenge. And when I took it on, I found great friends, great times, great cultural experiences, and the motivation to do things that I never knew I could do.
Without question, it was the experience of a lifetime.
Mark Anthony Pasco is a graphic designer with Egg Design.
Signs
by Arbee Bagabaldo
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Milan is not for those who seek serenity. The city has jam-packed subways, loud pedestrians, crazy drivers, confusing roads and intimidating buildings. It is one of the largest cities in Italy and definitely one of the busiest. The commute from the dorm to NABA is about 45 minutes, and that includes walking and transferring from the tram to the subway line.
Everyday, on the way to school, we’d see people running, sweating and panting (because of the running, haha!) just to catch the subway. But there is a lot to see in the city when you take the time to look.
One of the best experiences I had during the two-week course in NABA is a walk from the school to the Duomo, the center of Milan, with our typography teacher James Clough.
Milan is full of shops and buildings. People who have been to other parts of Italy would say that it is the least aesthetically pleasing part of the country. (Too much concrete, I guess). But through Mr. Clough, my classmates and I see a different side of the city.
Lots of shops mean lots of signs. Everywhere you turn, you see a different kind of sign, from handwritten to digital print outs, painted, carved and even sprayed on. Every sign is unique even if it is based on a typical font found on the computer. What makes it unique, in my opinion, is the way the designer uses it, how he matches it with the material and the personality of the shop or building. Other signs also show the age and history of the area. Some wonderful examples are the street signs carved on the buildings.
Of course, there are some bad signs, too; Mr. Clough points out a few that he thinks don’t fit well with the shop or the way it is used.
Mr. Clough is unlike any teacher I’ve ever had. He is really passionate about signs and fonts. He knows exactly what font was used on the sign, the style, the era it was made, other fonts that might have influenced it, the typographer who created it…probably even his mood when he was making the font! He is a font fanatic and a very talented typographer.
One of my favorite signs belongs to Milan’s Camera del Lavoro (Chamber of Labor). It’s not as pretty as the others but I like it because of the concept and history behind it. The huge sign is made of the same material as the building; it sticks out as each letter casts a thick shadow. Probably designed during the fascist era, the font intimidates the onlookers, just like the building it’s on. It gives the impression of stability and eternity, like most of the architecture of the time.
Historical signs are all over Milan, but there are a lot of fresh and unexpected signs, too. It is considered illegal, but some graffiti art and fonts add life to Milan’s huge concrete walls. Some American classmates who are graffiti artists explain the styles used for the different “tags,” like the one-liners, forming a tag or a word without lifting the spray can.
Even though it was hot, the walk isn’t as tiring as I thought it would be. (I didn’t think it was possible to walk from the school to the Duomo.) If you’re not into shopping or hate waiting in line to see the museums, there are other ways to enjoy the city. I’m neither an expert nor a fanatic, but I’d like to do the same here in Manila—to learn and entertain myself just by walking and looking at signs.
Arbee Bagabaldo is a graphic designer with Campaigns & Grey.
