Connecting to the concerns of people beyond one’s immediate environment is an essential point of what distinguishes worldly design. Every culture brings a new set of expectations to the table; a diverse range of collective memories. As globalization opens up new markets, designers are increasingly being asked to adapt their work to new demographics that have to be reached. Transculturalism is characterised by cultural fluidity and the dynamics of cultural change; whether by conflict, necessity, revolution or the slow progress of interaction, different groups share their stories, symbols, values, meanings and experiences.
Below are some of the spreads from my book. Written, researched and designed as a part of my fulfillment of the Master of Design Degree in Graphic Design at the University of Illinois at Chicago, it explores how the transculturalism philosophy could be used as a tool to expand our visual language and promote diversity in graphic design.
In my opinion, our job as visual communicators is to address problems and communicate the solutions we find in an effective manner. In an increasingly accessible world, it’s becoming more and more important to be able to do so in the context of existing cultures. There is hope that one day, the field of graphic design will develop a more global approach to visual communication.
