A kind of future: the theme of the ninth edition of the Graphic DaysⓇ festival
The ninth edition of the international visual and social design festival Graphic DaysⓇ will take place from 16 to 26 May at the Flashback Habitat spaces in Turin. An exhibition itinerary, a permanent work space and a calendar of events including conferences, workshops, live performances, DJ sets and activities for children, in the main headquarters and spread throughout the city, will interpret the title “A kind of future”.
The Graphic DaysⓇ festival is an initiative dedicated to Italian and international visual design promoted in Turin since 2016 by the Print Club Torino association, the Plug association and the quattrolinee agency; starting from the great icons of history up to contemporary professionals, the festival talks about visual communication at 360 degrees and its contaminations in an annual event that involves the most relevant artists, professionals and studios on the international scene.
The 2024 edition is entitled “A kind of future”.
“With the awareness of being in a moment in which the work of the designer and his role in society are at the center of great transformations” argue Ilaria Reposo and Fabio Guida, artistic directors of the festival, “we have chosen to bring attention back to creativity as a fundamental element to produce innovation and encourage experimentation.”
The theme lends itself to a dual interpretation.
A kind of future is first and foremost a hypothesis of the future, not necessarily an alternative to other visions, which places the use of new languages and the valorization of young talents at the center of attention. The experimentation is understood at 360° and ranges from the decontextualized use of commonly used objects in a creative and innovative way to the most cutting-edge technologies based on artificial intelligence and the development of new tools.
“We want to overcome the idea” continue the artistic directors “that innovation is the exclusive prerogative of technological progress; on the contrary, in our vision, innovation can also start from analogue tools because the founding element is creativity and the way in which we approach even common objects”.
A kind future is the second key to understanding the festival: a future that puts kindness at the centre, in which attention to people and the planet are the primary objective of every design action. This trend also includes social design initiatives built through the involvement of local communities.
The festival calendar will take place from May 16 to 26 within Flashback Habitat, an exhibition space recently reopened to the public and surrounded by greenery, with a structured program that will include:
An exhibition itinerary that will propose different forms of experimentation and innovation, hosting artists and experiences from all over the world, bringing the most cutting-edge creative practices of the moment to Turin.
A permanent open workspace curated by Print Club Torino which will connect international printmakers, designers and companies, with live experiences open to all visitors and training and professionalising workshop moments.
A calendar of events with workshops, talks and performances, a market exhibition and a section of initiatives dedicated to schools and families.
The festival’s activities also extend to the city: In the city is the calendar of initiatives created through the involvement of communication agencies, design studios and various entities operating in the field of visual and social design in the area. On 17 and 24 May it will be possible to get to know the eclectic nature of the Turin creative scene by visiting places not generally accessible to the public: very different exhibitions, workshops, performances and events will interpret the theme of the festival A kind of future.
One of the main cores of the festival’s activities is reserved for young designers. From 2021 the festival promotes the Neologia call dedicated to Italian designers under 30 or who have lived in Italy for at least two years, creating a showcase space to present young talents in today’s world of visual design: a democratic and constantly evolving environment that collects the best projects, rewarding the quality and experimentation of languages, thus allowing new creative minds to become part of a dynamic and international context.
Every year the 100 projects selected in the Editorial, Poster and Motion categories are exhibited at the festival; among these, special prizes are then identified and awarded at a public event: the Neologia prize awarded by the Print Club and various mentions and prizes offered by the project partners. For the 2024 edition, awards from Farm Cultural Park, Zetafonts, International Graphics Biennale, AWDA and Fabrica are expected, which will take the form of professional experiences, residencies, workshops,… For the first time in 2024, the Artificial Intelligence category: posters and motions can also be created through artificial intelligence and participate in a dedicated selection.
As a corollary to the exhibition, a calendar of events dedicated to young designers, including portfolio reviews, talks and performative and musical moments.
The two weekends are the moments in which most of the activities on offer are concentrated: from professionalizing workshops to conferences with experts from all over the world to moments of B2B meetings and discussions. In addition to the activities for professionals, there are performative and musical moments and activities aimed at families: a calendar of workshops and initiatives for children and, on the weekend of 25 and 26 May, a market exhibition which will involve the outdoor spaces of the park with exhibition of the works of studios, artists and independent entities in the visual arts. During the week the program will be structured with activities dedicated to schools, guided tours and workshops, and with a schedule of conferences in the late afternoon to welcome the designers at the end of the working day.
The 2024 festival marks the start of an important partnership with the BIG International Graphics Biennale of Milan (23-26 May): the collaboration, tested with the 2022 edition of the Milan Graphic Festival, is consolidated this year with an exchange of cultural contents and collaborations. The 2024 Signs exhibition promoted by the International Graphics Biennale will be divided between the two events: 12 studies will be exhibited in Turin and 12 in Milan. At the same time, the works selected by Graphic DaysⓇ through the Neologia call, in the motion, poster and artificial intelligence categories will also be exhibited in Milan, as well as in Turin.
A calendar of workshops that takes place over the two weekends of the Graphic DaysⓇ festival (17 and 18 May – 25 and 26 May)
4 appointments on the occasion of the ninth edition of the Graphic DaysⓇ festival (May 16-26) to learn about and explore expressive languages and printing techniques: tufting, screen printing, calligraphy, type design, letraset, xerography, collage, risograph, under the guidance of Node – Tufting Torino, Lars Harmsen / Slanted, Vincent De Boer and Print Club Torino.
Saturday, May 18 h. 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
¡DAMN HAPPY LIFE?
Silkscreen Workshop with Prof. Lars Harmsen from Slanted Publishers / @Posterrex
Will the future be happy and joyful or a dystopian nightmare? The workshop, open to expert printers or those simply curious, promises to be an exciting journey into the art of poster creation through screen printing.
Since 2014, Prof. Lars Harmsen from Slanted Publishers and Markus Lange have been spearheading the creative force behind POSTERREX. The journey began in Cuba during a silkscreen print workshop, and since then, they’ve embarked on various international sessions in print studios worldwide. With over 3,000 unique posters in their collection, POSTERREX is a testament to the collaborative spirit of artists and designers.Since 2020 Poster Rex has its own screen printing workshop in Carlazzo, Italy.
Info: https://www.graphicdays.it/2024/en/graphicdays/damn-happy-life/
Sunday, May 19 h. 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
BRUSH BENDERS
A calligraphy workshop curated by Vincent De Boer
What is the shape of your language? A day in which the participants will learn some basics of the calligraphic technique together with Vincent de Boer and then immediately turn to free experimentation with the line. They will learn how to use the brush, shape their letters, and use words and imagination beyond legibility.
Vincent de Boer, whose background is rooted in calligraphy, continuously pushes the boundaries of language. Fascinated by the world that opens up in a single brush stroke, he explores the complexity of movement. His body of work reflects his deep understanding of material and technique and the concentration required to master them. From this basis, de Boer applies his signature style to a range of mediums, such as paper, murals, and performances, showcasing his works both in the Netherlands and abroad.
Info: https://www.graphicdays.it/2024/en/graphicdays/brush-benders/
Saturday, May 25 h. 10:00 am – 1:30 pm
A KIND OF RIOT
A tribute to the punk aesthetic by Print Club Torino
The punk aesthetic, bold and provocative, defined by bright colours, irreverent texts and black and white images, crude, direct, disturbing, it is often characterised by the use of low-budget media and the use of perhaps improvised, yet sincere techniques.
It has historical roots that take us from Dadaism to Bansky and needs to convey its message immediately and freely. Fifty years ago The Sex Pistols sang ‘no future’, does it still make sense today to talk about rebellion?
Punk record covers are an expressive art form that reflects the energy of the music itself: load up your playlist and get your scissors ready!
During the workshop we will use letraset, typewriters, collages of a few but essential elements, drawings, lettering, black and white photocopies and kind words to throw on them. The final result will be a collective publication printed in Risograph.
Print Club Torino is a creative print and graphic arts workshop where to experiment and share ideas, techniques and processes. The Cultural Association offers illustrators, designers, students and enthusiasts the tools, materials, and spaces they need to give shape to ideas and projects with the help of professional advice. Print Club Torino is unicum in the panorama of Italian creativity: ancient techniques meet new digital technologies (engraving, screen printing, laser, inkjet and risograph) in order to explore new expressive languages. An environment in which the sharing of knowledge gives rise to opportunities for meetings, new projects and professional opportunities.
https://www.graphicdays.it/2024/en/graphicdays/a-kind-of-riot-2
Sunday, May 26 h. 10:00 am – 1:30 pm
TUFTING
A workshop to try your hand at the tufting gun with Nodo – Tufting Torino
Tufting is a handcrafted technique that allows you to make custom rugs and home furnishings. With Nodo – Tufting Torino‘s help, participants will be able to play with the textures and colors of the yarns by weaving them on the canvas with the tufting gun. Each participant will be able to create his or her artwork of size 40x40cm, choosing from a selection of graphics proposed by the tutors, and personalize it thanks to the wide choice of colors available.
The workshop is divided into two phases. During the first part, the operation of the tufting gun will be explained and the materials for making the rug will be introduced. In the second part, after fixing the work on the canvas, the stages of shaving and defining the rug will be addressed as well as the tricks necessary to achieve a professional result right from the start
Nodo – Tufting Torino is a collective and a crossroads of stories that intertwine creating a vibrant and colorful environment based on experimentation with the technique of tufting.
With the idea of taking the creative experience to a multisensory level, all senses are involved in a unique experience. The eye is lost in a large palette of colors, while touch is immersed in the softness of the yarns and hearing is accompanied by the rhythmic sound of the gun in action.
Info: https://www.graphicdays.it/2024/en/graphicdays/tufting-2/