Make Something

Make Something was started by graphic designers as an outlet for them to think beyond the commercial brief, partner with a creative they’ve admired for a while, and see what result might emerge when graphics and product design/bicycle design/mixology/sustainable development were thrown together.

The results have been exhibited within the Saatchi and Saatchi building on The Strand in Parnell, Auckland. The partnerships were diverse, and so, unsurprisingly, so were the final outcomes. You found beautiful typography, poster design and the careful perfectionism you get with good graphic design, but there was an exciting interactive, physical and spatial element that made the graphics elements even more arresting.

Joanna Alpe and Rebecca Mills created a world map as bench where visitors could touch different areas and a projection would bring up information about that country’s connection with New Zealand.

Sarah Laing and Melissa Laing made an enthralling video work where they simultaneously read their manifesto/poem. The slight overlap of voices and the two different scenes created a powerful project despite its seeming simplicity.

Arch MacDonnell and Billy Apple were a natural pairing for art-influenced graphics. A coloured-up bike with a backdrop of posters was their sculptural collaboration.

Edgar Melitao and Chris Stevens presented a hanging stylized tree mobile made from layers of corrugated cardboard.

Shabnam Shiwan and Emma Boyd created a tactile tablecloth and turned wooden bowls. The linen fabric was printed with dots that then bleed out into the text ‘eat or be eaten’.

The work created by Kelvin Soh and Calem Chadwick was one of the most popular, if only because they provided cocktails. Kelvin’s stunning graphic coasters partnered with an upgraded rum and coke made by mixologist Calem.

Gary Stewart and Wheelworks brought another bike to the floor with a kitted-out designer’s bike, set up for designing on the go – room for the coffee maker and moleskins, with a classic Brooks seat.

The event is a welcome addition to the local design scene where ceatives can be just that – creative, without a commercial end result. The works are crafted and of a very high quality, and blur the line between art and design. Which is always a good thing.