MAILA, PHILIPPINES — In Intramuros, Instituto Cervantes was the venue of a multi-national discussion series on design thinking for a complexly challenging world. The events series is organized by the EUNIC cluster in Manila and RIDCULT, together with the DTI-Design Center of the Philippines. The Embassy of Spain Manila initiated the project, thinking to build on its appreciation of the Philippines as located uniquely amidst cross-cultural flows past and present.
On the other hand, Design Center Executive Director Rhea Matute builds on the enthusiasm for progressive design ideas and explorations that have been gaining momentum in the Philippines over decades.
She said, “The Embassies of Spain, Austria, Chile, and Mexico, together with Instituto Cervantes, the Alliance Française de Manille, the Philippine Italian Association, and the Goethe Institut selected and facilitated the participation of important personalities in the design field from their countries. The designers join their Filipino peers during the event series — peers who represent pivotal turns in the local scene.”
In his appreciation of the cosmopolitan design culture the Philippines has shaped in its historical and contemporary relations with global capitals, Dr. Javier Galván, Director of Instituto Cervantes, explained, “The Philippines is correctly the location of this EULAT project because of Filipino talent at reshaping what comes from outside the country.”
Independent curator and critic Marian Pastor Roces was engaged by Design Center to conceptualize the event series and serve as Conference Director. Pastor Roces emphasized that the strong cooperation and enthusiasm of the European and Latin American embassies and cultural institutes in the case of this project does indeed foster respect across cultures and productive dialogue.
Design Week is the yearly festival for Filipino design and creativity. It is the only Filipino design festival that is national in scope, with talks, workshops, tours, and experiences in one week, and satellite events throughout the country from October 14 to 22. With the theme Design for All, Design Week Philippines 2022 celebrated design as a creative tool for positive impact, a robust vehicle for inclusive, sustainable growth, and a rich, diverse expression of Filipino culture and identity in a series of hybrid events.
In EULAT for Culture, each of the European and Latin American speakers took up a driving idea from their practices at the forefront of their fields. Each will be part of a group, including Filipinos whose work has similar trajectories.
While the practices are disparate, the entirety of “EULAT for Culture” came together around design concepts that address the world’s challenging complications today.
Cutting-edge design thinking is variously embodied in the practices of esteemed Spanish Architect Salvador Perez Arroyo, German-based green fashion/textile Italian designer Arianna Nicoletti, Austrian multi-media artist Horst Hortner, Daniela Gil Sevilla, Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Mexico and artisan Camelia Ramos, the sustainable development-driven practice of Italian Architect Romulo Nati, and the textile design and sommelier combination of the French Filipina team of Kévin and Adrienne Charuel. Filipino scholar Fernandez N. Zialcita, Ph.D., and chef Margarita Fores, respectively, speak on behalf of Mexico and Italy, as well as the Philippines, in their presentations. Other speakers include veteran urban planner Architect Nathaniel Von Einsiedel, food scholar and anthropologist Corazon S. Alvina, graphic designer Jowee Alviar, Architects Deo Alam and the Architectural Partners Sudarshan Khadka Jr and Alex Furunes, social entrepreneur Reese Fernandez, textile innovator Ana Lagon and food scholar Datu Sharif Pendatun.
“EULAT for Culture: Filipino Design links with Asia, the Americas, and Europe” enjoyed exceptional support from the Spanish Government in the context of AECID’s presidency of EUNIC; from the Design Center, and its curator, Marian Pastor Roces. EUNIC – European Union National Institutes for Culture is Europe’s network of national cultural institutes and organizations, with 36 members from all EU member states and associated countries. RIDCULT is the Ibero-American Network for Cultural Diplomacy.
This project was made possible with the collaboration of the Embassies of Austria, Chile, and Mexico, as well as the Alliance Française de Manille, the Philippine Italian Association, and the Goethe Institut.
The Design Center of the Philippines is an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) committed to developing a creative research and development program on product design and development.
