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Mind Altering Substance

The Think Different Showcase kicked off the 2005 academic year for Graphic students from the Potchefstroom campus of the North- West University in February. Adobe, Core Group and Mac Impact presented seminars on the latest design trends and products.

Graphic Design upgraded its Apple Mac facilities in 2005, and now works primarily on Apple Macs. Mohammed Jogie from Adobe also demonstrated tricks and tips for the Adobe CS Package. One lucky student also won a new i-pod on the day. Photo: Mohammed Jogie (Adobe), Eloise Dewar (Core Group), Joha Janse van Rensbrug (student) and Fred Britz (Mac Impact)

Design Indaba Emerging Creatives

Alta Steytler, a 2004 graduate from the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University, was recognized as one of the best young Graphic Design students in the country by Design Indaba. Ms Steyler’s design portfolio was selected as one of the best in the Emerging Creatives category by the curator panel of the Design Indaba. As reward, Alta’s participation in and attendance at this year’s Design Indaba was sponsored by the Transnet Foundation. Her work was exhibited at this annual event.

Design Indaba has affirmed its status as the premier creative event in the southern hemisphere. Every year the Indaba lures the best and most important international and national speakers from all fields of the design industry. This year’s Design Indaba took place from 25-27 February at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, and again boasted some of the foremost Photo: Alta Steytler international and academics – including Natahan Reddy, founding member of TBWA/Gavin/Reddy, Issay Kitagawa (Japan), Michael Bierut (USA) and Li Edelkoort (the Netherlands). A record 1 946 delegates attended Design Indaba 2005. International Flavour

A design by Richardt Strydom, Graphic Design lecturer from the School of Communication Studies at North West University, was recently exhibited at the New York School of Visual Arts. The exhibition, which ran from June 3 until July 2, 2005, was comprised of selected works from the recently published of Dissent: Socially and Politically Driven Graphics. The book was compiled by two prominent international designers Milton Glaser and Mirko Ilic, and aims to illustrate the importance of protest and dissent in contemporary society. Incorporated in the book are graphic works dating from the 1960s to the present.

The works contain an element of discord, an appeal to justice and an attempt to liberate some truth that lies beneath the surface of public discourse. Tony Photo: Richardt's work: Act Kushner states in the book’s introduction, “The political is in the arena of the Against Globalization miraculous, where the collective and the communal, so routinely repressed, so viciously suppressed, stages its returns, where eternal truths and immortal edifices can dissolve in an eye blink, in historical time where change rather than stasis is the only constant.”

“The Design of Dissent” showcases posters, books, buttons, magazines and other ephemera from the 1960s to the present, from countries such as Israel, Palestine, the former Yugoslavia, Russia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Iran, Turkey, Bosnia, Serbia, Spain, Poland, Malaysia, Germany, South Africa, Argentina, Mexico and the United States.

Strydom’s work, a poster entitled Act Against Globalization, puts a new corporate spin on the Molotov-cocktail by appropriating the Coca Cola brand- image. Photo: Exhibition view featuring Act Against Globalization Glaser, referred to as the most important American of the latter half of the 20th century and Mirko Ilic also curated the exhibition which is set to tour the USA after its successful run in New York.

Number One Stamp

A postage-stamp design depicting the ecology of Table Mountain by 4th Graphic Design student, Annemé Boshoff, has won a gold medal at the international Pride in Print Awards held in Rotorua, New Zealand earlier this year. The Pride in Print Awards rewards and recognises excellence in print as well as design. According to Mr Mike Thomas, executive head of Southern Colour Print, it is a great honour to receive an award from Pride in Print. Annemé’s design was the also the winner of the South African Post Office’s national stamp in 2004.

Since 2003 PUK design students, under the tutelage of Ms. Hanri de la Harpe, have had regular success in the field of stamp and design, so much so that the SA Post Office Services has awarded an annual commission to the subject group for the design of new stamps. Photo: Annemé Boshoff See Annemé Boshoff’s stampdesigns here

Top Design Achiever

Kobie Geyer, a final year Graphic Design student was chosen as one of nineteen finalists in the 2005 SABS Design Institute’s Design Achiever Awards. This is the third consecutive year that a graphic design student from NWU has made the short list in this prestigious competition.

The SABS Design Institute established the Design Achievers Award Scheme in 1987. It can be distinguished from other South African design awards through its national and multidisciplinary character as well as its emphasis on design entrepreneurship and leadership ability in addition to creative excellence. The competition is open to all design disciplines, be it graphic, interior, industrial, clothing, ceramic, textile or , or commercially focused .

Kobie developed an environmental educational board game and activities, aimed Photo: Richardt Strydom and Kobie Geyer at inspiring and motivating pre-primary and primary learners to protect, respect Below: Board game characters and nurture the environment. The fundamental outcome of the project is to make environmental awareness a part of children's lifestyle.

The competition also involves workshops and tutorial sessions for finalists. This year participants visited leading design and technology facilities and participated in presentations and discussions which address topical issues relating to the design profession. The programme provides ample opportunity for nominees to interact with past winners, prominent design industry personalities, potential employers and the media.

Former NWU students Louis du Pisani and Margaret Grobler were finalists in 2003 and 2004 respectively. Another former Graphic Design student Clarissa Harteveld, a 2004 NWU graduate, currently completing her honours in Brand Management at Vega Brand Communications School, was also selected as a finalist for the 2005 Awards.

Contact Richardt Strydom for more information: [email protected]

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