a design manifesto
original manifesto, 1964

ezrena marwan
graphic designer, malaysia

We, the undersigned, are graphic designers, art directors and visual communicators who have been raised in a world in which the techniques and apparatus of advertising have persistently been presented to us as the most lucrative, effective and desirable use of our talents. Many design teachers and mentors promote this belief; the market rewards it; a tide of books and publications reinforces it.

Encouraged in this direction, designers then apply their skill and imagination to sell dog biscuits, designer coffee, diamonds, detergents, hair gel, cigarettes, credit cards, sneakers, butt toners, light beer and heavy-duty recreational vehicles. Commercial work has always paid the bills, but many graphic designers have now let it become, in large measure, what graphic designers do. This, in turn, is how the world perceives design. The profession's time and energy is used up manufacturing demand for things that are inessential at best.Many of us have grown increasingly uncomfortable with this view of design. Designers who devote their efforts primarily to advertising, marketing and brand development are supporting, and implicitly endorsing, a mental environment so saturated with commercial messages that it is changing the very way citizen-consumers speak, think, feel, respond and interact. To some extent we are all helping draft a reductive and immeasurably harmful code of public discourse.There are pursuits more worthy of our problem-solving skills. Unprecedented environmental, social and cultural crises demand our attention. Many cultural interventions, social marketing campaigns, books, magazines, exhibitions, educational tools, television programs, films, charitable causes and other information design projects urgently require our expertise and help.We propose a reversal of priorities in favor of more useful, lasting and democratic forms of communication - a mindshift away from product marketing and toward the exploration and production of a new kind of meaning. The scope of debate is shrinking; it must expand. Consumerism is running uncontested; it must be challenged by other perspectives expressed, in part, through the visual languages and resources of design.

In 1964, 22 visual communicators signed the original call for our skills to be put to worthwhile use. With the explosive growth of global commercial culture, their message has only grown more urgent. Today, we renew their manifesto in expectation that no more decades will pass before it is taken to heart.



ID / TV works

KAMI . The Movie
Cinema Collaterals
+ View design

KAMI . THE SERIES
Identity
+ View design

Gol & Gincu Series | Identity
+ View design

TV Tutor | Identity
+ View design

Number Squad | Identity
+ View design

Gol & Gincu Movie | Identity
+ View design

PRINT works

Project Runway
Fashion Finale Programme Book
+ View design

3R Intern Search
Call for Registrations
+ View design

Red Comm & Red Films
Notebooks - Spin the Wheel
+ View design

Sadiq and Co .
TV Identity Design
+ View design

KAMI - Soundtrack
+ View design

Breeze Padang Pintar
Identity and collaterals
+ View design

Red Comm + Red Films
Magazine Ad
+ View design

Corporate folder
+ View folder

The Bird House
Movie Poster
+ View poster

Goodbye Boys
Movie Poster
+ View poster

VCD Designs
+ View design

3r
Postcards
+ View postcards

Amazon.com
DVD Covers
+ View covers

Freedom Film Fest 2006
Photography; Poster, Bunting, Leaflet Designs
+ View design

Red Films
Name Card designs
+ View design

6th European Union Film Festival

6th EU Film Festival British Council
Poster, Programme
& Brochure design
+ Programme | + Brochure
+ Poster

INPRINT British Council
Poster, Catalogue & Brochure design
+ View catalogue | + Brochure

Gol & Gincu
Movie Poster, Cinema Displays & Soundtrack
+ View posters | + Soundtrack

Freedom Film Fest 2005
Photography; Poster, Bunting, Leaflet Designs
+ View design

A film by James Lee
'Beautiful Washing Machine'
Movie Poster
+ View design

Ho Yuhang's 'Sanctuary'
Movie Poster
+ View design

RAVEOLUSI Double CD
Photography; Poster; Slip case & CD Designs
+ View design

Malaysian Photography
National Art Gallery, Malaysia
Catalogue design
+ View design

3r & Kotex
Notebook Calendar 2004
+ View design

PRINT works *ngo*

P10 - What It Means to You
Cover & Book Design
+ View designs

Take Back The Tech
Brochure design
+ View designs

APCwomen.org
Brochure design
+ View designs

Take Back The Tech
Identity design
+ View designs

Sisters In Islam
Annual Review 2006
+ Coming soon

Centre for Independent Journalism
Cover, book design
+ View designs

IWRAW Asia Pacific
Brochure design
+ View design

IWRAW Asia Pacific
Folder design
+ View design

OP -Cedaw for IWRAW Asia Pacific
Brochure design
+ View design

OnSet graphics

Gol & Gincu The Series
On Set posters
+ View posters

SET designs

3R Respect Relax Respond
TV programme especially for women
+ View set

Shortcuts
TV programme that highlights independent short films/videos and features made by Malaysians.
+ View set

123
TV Programme for young parents
+ View set

Photography stills

Volvo Malaysia

On the web
Photography featured on Volvo Malaysia website.
+ View screen captures
+ Official Website

Before We Fall In Love Again

Before We Fall In Love Again
A film by James Lee
Photography, Production Stills
+ View photos
+
Official Website

Goodbye Boys
Directed by Bernard Chauly
Photography, Production Stills
+ View photos

NST Life & Times - Lina Tan
Photo for New Straits Time feature article
+ View photo

PROJECTs

Malaysia Design Archive
+ Coming soon


WEB works

GenARDIS
Gender, Agriculture and Rural Development in the Information Society
+ Launch site

KAMI . The TV Series
+ Launch site

Africa Women & ICT
+ Launch site

Red Communications
+ Launch site

Take Back the Tech
+ Launch site

The Truly Loving Company
+ Launch site

Goodbye Boys
Web design
+ Launch site

3R Respect Relax Respond
Web design
+ Launch site

AWAM
Web design
+ Launch site

Malaysian Photography

Red Films
Web design
+ Launch site

Impian Illyana
Web design
+ Launch site

Freedom Film Fest
Web design & Photography
+ Launch site

123 Parenting Programme
Web design
+ Launch site

Malaysian AIDS Foundation
Web design
+ Launch Site

IWRAW Asia Pacific
Web design
+ Launch Site

Gol & Gincu
Web design
+ Launch site

Visits : Hungry Ghost Anthology
Web design
+ Launch site

OTHERs

Apcwomen.org
Tshirt & Sticker design
+ View designs

3R All Women's Futsal Playoffs
T-Shirt Design
+ View design

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Based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Updated Sept 2008 | Archive here | ezrena (at) ezthetic.com | Kedai Runcit | Photoworks here