Foo for Thought from the P3 Forum

Getting together after the panel talk, Dec. 21, 2005: (Bottom Row L-R): Raymond Virata, Al S. Perez (Middle Row): Gloria G. Galang, Bren Bataclan, Estela Manila, Gerard Talampas (Top Row) John "Spike" Lomibao, Eduardo Datangel, Alberic Rivera

We would like to thank everyone who joined us for our panel talk and reception! We're looking forward to seeing you again at our next show!

P3 Opening Statement (Dec. 21, 2005) by John "Spike" Lomibao

P3: Our Ongoing Journey in Pilipino Design Aesthetics

A diverse collection of graphic and fine art, “P3” seeks to provide snapshots of evolution in the artistic journeys of 6 creatives. Third in a series observing common themes found in Pilipino American design, this exhibit furnishes additional material from which one can gain further insight into the basic attributes of the design aesthetics.

Pilipino design aesthetics are not subtle. The colors are often loud, the hierarchy not so obvious, and it appears much more organic or hand done. At first glance, it may seem too busy. It is quite different than a minimalist Swiss design. Surprisingly, given time and careful examination, the aesthetics become identifiable and begin to make sense. Reflecting life driven by necessity, the overall Pilipino look-and-feel is the product of the challenges and promises of an emerging country. The cultural vibrancy of the Philippines can be attributed to its numerous influences of other cultures over the centuries, including Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese.

American aesthetics with respect to design also reflect themes experienced by its people: freedom, diversity, opportunity, multiculturalism. Coupled with Pilipino sensibilities, these themes give rise to a new and distinctive aesthetic starting with ethnic roots and ending in something quite different than either culture by itself.

For the Pilipino American designer, the fusion of both cultures often brings about an interesting work ethic: it is a circuitous oscillation between stability and clutter, but the resulting art of such tension is positively eclectic. Often the art reflects constraints in resources, yet the quality and execution in the finished piece is kept at a high standard. All of the different historical and cultural experiences of Pilipino American designers culminate in art that is intriguing because of its ever-unpredictable order within chaos.

Though each artist has experienced a unique path in stylistic development, common threads are noticeable. Woven into the fabric of an artist's work are techniques and sensibilities learned along the way, but it appears there is also a somewhat "tribal" quality—originating from cultural imprinting established over many previous generations—that serves as the basis of all creative endeavors.

As a testament to this ancestral pull inherent in our design, a special poster campaign was produced specially for the P3 collection. Starting with tourism as a theme, each artist was to create a travel advertisement, with the intention of enticing Pilipinos to visit the Philippines. Whether that meant a return back or a first-time visit was of no consequence—both of them effectively meant "going home." The assignment visually expresses not only geographic journeys but the influence of internal journeys of the designers on their art today.

Pildesign is happy to celebrate its five year anniversary and grateful to Estela Manila and the San Francisco Public Library for the invitation to exhibit its work for the third consecutive year.


Meeting at the San Francisco Public Library discussing future PilDesign projects, Jan. 2006 (L-R) Gerard Talampas, Raymond Virata, Gloria G. Galang, Cynthia Tiangco, Bren Bataclan.

Comments from the P3 Forum

"Would mainstream clients be interested in Filipino Design?"

"There are not enough Art critics back home."

Elements of Ethnicity

I came across "De Bahay of Estyle" a webpage by fashion designer Armand Jala where he compiled a list of things which are influences of Filipino Design and can be incorporated into design whether it be "architecture, fashion, graphic design" or any other design discipline.

"In general, the elements of Filipino art and culture that influence me are:

The materials: bamboo and rattan.
Tropical shells that are used in many art motifs.
Basketry and weaving.
The beautiful embroidery on Filipino clothing like the Barong Tagalog.
Roman-catholic iconographic art and religious art brought by the Spaniards.
The textiles and patterns of the Moros in the southern Philippines.
Colorful, precious stones used in jewelry and art.
Bamboo fans with colorful artwork.
Malay, Chinese, and Muslim influences..."

P3: Our Ongoing Journey in Pilipino American Design Aesthetics

PilDesign's P3: Our Ongoing Journey in Pilipino American Design Aesthetics


San Francisco Public Library

December 1, 2005 to January 31, 2006
3rd Floor, Filipino American Center
San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin St.
San Francisco, California

PilDesign is promoting the Philippines through a series of inspiring visuals of the Pearl of the Orient. Fil-Americans, Immigrants and Foreigners will be enticed to visit the motherland though the sights of her historic landmarks, luscious food and rich art and culture.


P3 Exhibit at the Filipino American Center

A panel talk on Filipino Design aesthetic research will be held on December 21, 2005 at 5-7 PM. Artists' reception will follow from 7-7:30PM.

Pildesign is a group consisting of Filipino Americans and Philippine born designers and artists seeking to define Filipino Design Aesthetics. The members are also finding more ways to incorporate their Filipino culture into their work, both professionally and for personal, artistic goals.


Planning meeting (L-R) Mark Sta. Ana, Al Perez and Gloria G. Galang (on cellphone Bren Bataclan)

This year's exhibit will feature work from Al Perez, Gloria G. Galang, John Lomibao, Eduardo Datangel, Raymond Virata, Bren Bataclan, Milbert Mariano, Mark Sta. Ana, Christian Alcala and Gerard Talampas.

Pananaw-The Philippine Journal of Visual Arts

Though it's considered a periodical, Pananaw (Vision), the Philippine Journal for Visual Arts, is printed as a slick hardbound book. Each page is designed well and features beautiful art, it will be a shame to print it on anything less. Published by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the journal gives the public access to beautiful and provocative artwork. It also provides insight and history of Filipino Art.

Despite it's exquisite presentation, it doesn't come out regularly. It's first issue came out in 1997 and its fourth issue only came out in 2002. It's not cheap either, at $60, it's not exactly a price for the public the book wishes to reach.

In the first book, here are some interesting excerpts:

The Pinoy Visual Artist and the Asia Pacific Century by Emmanuel Torres

"With the rise of Folk Modernists, the Angono Group and Social Realism, narrative/didactic approaches to artwork increased, specially in nationalist protest art under the Marcos regime, Exponents of mixed media flourished as much as of installation work using indigenous materials-found objects, ready mades, junk- and drawing inspiration from folk ethnic and popular sources. Native themes and images persisted to form the basis of a more assertive nationalism, or 'Filipinism'..."

ASEAN Aesthetics by Paul Blanco Zafaralla

"The pluralism that define Philippine aesthetics is a verdict of its long period of cultural history. Through the centuries, several cultures imploded into the country from animism to the present demands of the cyberage.

Ancient Philippine aesthetics was inscribed on bamboo nodes, farm and household implements, on outer walls of houses, etc. Spaces were almost always filled up with shapes-major and minutiae.

During the 333 years of the Hispanic period, Filipino aesthetic sense was almost always riveted on Jesus Christ, thereby revealing the people's Christocentric culture."

ASME Top 40 magazine covers of the past 40 years

Just an off-topic post, but essential info for us graphic designers. The American Society of Magazine Editors has just chosen their Top 40 covers of the past 40 years. The number one cover was the Jan. 1981 Rolling Stone cover of a naked John Lennon kissing Yoko Ono by photographer Annie Liebovitz. Number two was the August 1991 Vanity Fair cover with a nude and pregnant Demi Moore. Number three was the April 1968 Esquire cover with Muhammad Ali being stuck with arrows while in his boxing trunks. Wait a minute, all these covers have naked or near naked people on them, if you want your cover to sell, put a naked person, hahaha!

What Filipino Design Should Be

In looking for more resources on the web for Filipino Graphic Design (believe me it's like looking for a needle in haystack but you have to look for the haystack first), I came across a blog from another discipline of design. The post was made by Dylan Yap Gozum, chief design consultant for Vatel Manila, an events production company for weddings, debuts and other formal gatherings. Though interiors and events design is different from graphic design, the principles of design written is similar to the things we are trying to achieve.

According to the post, the goal is "understated elegance." The guiding principles of their design are "1) Simple and tasteful; 2) conversation-friendly and comfortable arrangements; and 3) Magical and dreamy but not over-the-top."

I agree with some of the points Gozum has raised and we can apply to graphic design. He mentions that Filipinos love to fill up our homes with things in every nook and cranny. In my advertising years, I have seen different clients trying to fill up every space of print ads with as much info as possible. To them, negative space is not a counterpoint, it is wasted space. The "production number act" can be applied to young designers as well, using all the cool tools available that the communication strategy is lost.

Click here for more of "our guiding principles of design" in detail.

Weaving the Web

Ask any Filipino web designer, and they know or are somehow connected to the Philweavers, the largest bunch of organized Filipino designers anywhere. How come I've never heard of Filipino Graphic Designers Guild or Art Directors Guild (maybe there is... and I'm not a part of it, heheheh)? In the short time, the internet has been up, Filipinos have quickly adapted to this fast growing medium (adapation is one trait of Filipino Design, I will write more on this, stay tuned).

According to their site:

"PhilWeavers (PW) was created in October of 1999. Over the years it has evolved into what is now the Philippines' unofficial non-governmental, non-political representative for web design and webcentric visual communication. Today, it serves a worldwide community of Filipino Web Designers and in doing so, it aims to:

* Raise the standards of web design, professional practice, and ethics raise the professional status of the Filipino web designer.
* Further the appreciation of Filipino web designer's professional achievements.
* Extend web design's contribution to understanding among people.
* Promote the exchange of information, views, and research contribute to design education - theory, practice and research coordinate matters of professional practice and conduct.
* Establish philippine web design standards and procedures.
* Protect and improve web design professional fees to protect the livelihood of its practitioners.

Philweavers is an online global network of Filipino web designers. There are more than 300 active members in a number of countries that share common concerns, commitments, and standards."

You guys are an inspiration, mabuhay!

Get Lost in a Mosaic of Philippine Fine Art

PhilippineArtists.com

This is an extensive virtual fine art gallery put up by DRW Networks of Toronto, Canada to design and host websites for Filipino artists, collectors and galleries. It is sponsored by the PNB Remittance Company of Canada. It's so full of button links, artists aim for your attention and sponsors scream "see me!"

It also features links to accalimed artists Anita Magsaysay-Ho and Bencab

There's a lot of artwork to see on this site, even works from Fernando Amorsolo.

Announce your gigs

PilDesign's P2:Independence Planning Meeting (L-R) Al, Spike, Karyn, Alberic. (And on speaker phone in Boston) Bren. (Al's House. San Francisco, July 2004)

Announce your upcoming gigs on this site. If we can reach your event by car, mass transit or by foot, we will make it!

Lucille Tenazas

You can't do a site on Filipino Design without mentioning Lucille Tenazas, the one of the biggest names in the graphic design field.

According to Lilia.com and the Tenazas Design website:

"Her work is widely regarded for its unique approach to graphic design which is considered rigorous, thoughtful and provocative. Her design reflect an interest in the complexity of language and the overlapping relationship of meaning, form, and content. By merging the poetic and the pragmatic, Tenazas achieves a fluid and flexible approach to design, one that is human as well as critical."

She is widely respected in both Europe and America, both east and west coasts. She was chosen as one of the ID Forty, in ID Magazine's 1995 selection of the 40 leading design innovators. From 1996-1998, she was the national president of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA).

I was taking a typography class at the Academy of Art College when my instructor Mike Kohnke mentioned her during lecture on the history of type design. I mentioned it to my boss Lisa Yuchengco and asked if we ran an article on her in Filipinas Magazine. My boss said we featured her years ago back in 1994. She's well sought after and hard to get a hold of.

When I was laying out an article on Tony Robles and Carl Angel's book "Lakas and the Manilatown Fish", I had to get a picture of Lucille since she designed the book. I left word with an assistant if I can get Lucille's picture, he said he'll get back to me to see if they had any. A couple of days later, the phone rang "Is this the art director? This is Lucille Tenazas." The lids of my eyes pulled up to its apex as this strong woman's voice shot through the phone. As I listened to her concerns about the picture, one thing kept repeating in my mind "You are talking to Lucille Tenazas. Don't. Say. Anything. Stupid." The article just mentioned her as a designer but didn't talk about the design in detail, so she felt it's okay not to have a picture, if I needed a picture I can use the one on the jacket cover (but I used another photo instead).

http://www.tenazasdesign.com

The Mother of All Links

What I am putting now is the greatest resource for anything Filipino online.

Ken Ilio's Tanikalang Ginto (golden chain or links) or Filipinolinks.com

Since 1994, Ken has linked more than 23,000 Filipino websites and even categorized them, helping millions of countrymen worldwide finding things Filipino online.

Recently, Ken has been chosen as one of 50 Asian movers and shakers by Asia, Inc.

Congrats and thanks Ken, for adding my websites to your links!

From the AIGA site: what others think

The original article Southeast Asian Design Reflects Diversity is by William Harald-Wong, published on May 1, 2003.

This is what he wrote on the Philippines:

"The Philippines

The Philippines has always been, from the viewpoint of neighbouring Southeast Asian countries, slightly out of the radar screen. This is because of its perceived distant geographical location, and also because it occasionally announces itself to be the only Christian nation in Asia - somewhat out of synch with its largely Taoist/Buddhist/Muslim neighbours. (Philippines, of course, is quintessentially Asian, with many indigenous peoples and a large Muslim population in the south).

Again, the advertising industry reigns supreme. Because of the consumer-driven nature of its economic growth, shopping malls and consumer-based companies generate the most work for graphic designers. The most successful work incorporates strong emotional values (family relationships are important) and humour.

Jollibee, the biggest fast-food chain in the Philippines, has beaten multinationals such as McDonalds and Burger King at their own game by aggressively franchising and tailoring its food to the Filipino palate. It is successful in many parts of the world, especially where Filipinos are concentrated. Therein lies a lesson for the rest of the region.

Filipinos are known to be artistically and musically inclined and these inherent characteristics have produced excellence in the entertainment industry, performing arts, fine arts and crafts. Unfortunately, society has not given graphic design its due recognition. Many Filipino graphic designers, who have been educated in the USA or who are working in the Middle East, do not return home.

In recent years, the web design community has been highly active - there are many community websites and online magazines for Filipino designers, e.g. www.philweavers.net , www.halfproject.com , www.kakosa.com and others. One only need to look into these websites to realise that there is electrifying energy and creativity zapping around in the Philippines."

Googling Filipino Design

PilDesign's P1 Exhibit Setup: (Front L-R) Al, Tonette, Dino, Estela, Gloria (Back) Spike, Raymond. (San Francisco Public Library, March 2003)

The problem with looking for Filipino Design resources is that you have to be very specific. Filipino design not only encompasses the graphic arts, you also have architecture, furniture, fashion and a whole gamut of things with a jeepney, a fiesta, the national tricolor, lucky red or anything with people power yellow. Despite what you think, it's design. Design is art with a purpose.

I've been googling for content and emailing contacts who I've met over the years. I've already made a lineup of what I want to write. Just wait, this will be fun.

Pilipino Design Aesthetics By Bren Bataclan

I am taking on Tibor Kalman's challenge to widen the lens of design. Tibor asked designers to relearn what was taught to us in design schools and to look beyond design annuals for inspiration. Tibor felt that only a very small segment of designers' work gets highlighted and praised, while most work--which could be stronger, more important examples--is left out of design schools, shows, publications and, eventually, the design history. I want to take on Tibor's challenge because I would like work from hot, humid, tropical countries, like the Philippines, to become part of the mainstream design community. Pilipino designs should begin to win international design awards. Good design is good design and it should not come only from colder climates.

For more: www.bataclan.com

Looking for Filipino Design

Hi folks,

I put this blog site up as a resource guide for Filipino Design. You can post your findings or links to sites discussing Filipino Design. I know there's a wealth of stuff out there. You can also post pictures.

Raymond