Happy Chinese New Year, Happy Valentine’s Day, and all other happy days there are in February.
During the second month of 2024, VCD UPH had the opportunity to host various and diverse activities, which can be seen and compiled in this edition of SEE. Even with the increased number of activities documented, these aren’t all the activities that happened during the whole month. Hopefully, the next publication may be able to document all the activities reported back to the department.
In the even semester, VCD UPH had the pleasure of inviting alumni, such as Regina Susanto from Graphic Design 2018, and also Daniel Purnama from Animation 2013. Both shared their working experiences after graduating with their juniors. Other opportunities that VCD UPH had included collaborating with KIEHL, collaborating with Tata Rupa, and also visiting Institut Kesenian Jakarta.
Lastly, we feature the work of Aurellia Levina, Dafy Bintang Natanael, and Tiara Kiatama from their Photography 2 class, which was also featured in the World Biennial of Student Photography 2023.
We hope that as we see, we may learn more and be humbled to learn more and more.
On Friday, February 23rd, 2024, the School of Design, School of Hospitality & Tourism, and Faculty of Science and Technology at Universitas Pelita Harapan held a Design Thinking Workshop for their students. The aim was to prepare students for an upcoming collaborative project with Singapore Polytechnic in March. Facilitated by lecturers from these faculties, the workshop introduced students to a design thinking framework they will use in the project.
On Friday, February 23, 2024, 15 students from VCD UPH attended Tata Rupa 2024. Tata Rupa 2024 is a program supported by the Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. The program aims to assist SMEs by facilitating new designs to enhance their businesses. That afternoon, VCD UPH students were given the opportunity to meet and discuss with the SMEs to discover their needs regarding their businesses. We are thankful to Tata Rupa 2024 for the opportunity and invitation to collaborate.
Regina Susanto, an alumna of VCD UPH Graphic Design Concentration batch 2018, shared her experience and work on Thursday, February 22nd, 2024. She spoke during the Introduction to the Creative Industry course for the Graphic Design Concentration, where she discussed her experience in creating and managing her own studio, Heilo. We extend our gratitude to Regina for sharing her insights with us.
VCD UPH is participating in the Kiehl’s “Trash to Art” University Competition held by Kiehl’s. In this competition, the team from VCD UPH is challenged to create art from trash with a set of briefs and themes from the organizers. The artwork is currently being displayed at Senayan City. You can see the artwork and description below:
Bones 2095: Vivid Afterlife by Universitas Pelita Harapan
Description : “Bones 2095: Vivid Afterlife” is an evocative installation that thrusts the concept of “trash to art” into the future, marrying the indie spirit with the vibrant urban life of New York City. This piece utilizes discarded materials such as plastic waste, bottles, fabrics, as well as metals like wire and aluminum foil, capturing the essence of New York’s consumable culture in food and fashion. “Bones 2095” is a testament to the power of individual expression and the potential for sustainability within urban environments. Through the use of striking neon colors, it pays homage to New York’s graffiti scene, embodying bold and vibrant expressions of art. The title and the work itself evoke a futuristic perspective on ecological awareness and artistic creativity, portraying a vivid afterlife where discarded materials are reborn into a dazzling expression of indie and urban aesthetics.
On Wednesday, February 7, 2024, VCD UPH held a Focus Group Discussion with MABAR Gaming, Sound Design UPH, and Information Systems UPH. The discussion in this Focus Group Discussion discusses the potential collaboration series and activities in game development. Hopefully, this FGD can be the gateway to extraordinary collaborations in the future.
Photo of Natasha Tontey, Photo Credit: Leandro Quintero 2022.
My name is Natasha Tontey. I am currently working as an artist and researcher. I studied in UPH from 2007 until 2011. My career started from working as a graphic designer and art director but my instinct and curiosity lead me into another pathway of becoming an artist and researcher. For me, design approach supports my artistic practice.
I believe some courses in DKV UPH would support the future wider career endeavour, especially Cross Cultural Design which was led by Bu Lala Santyaputri, encouraged us to organise a student exhibition outside the campus environment. This gives student a real practical experience beyond campus curriculum. Back then, we also had the late Pak Yongky Safanayong, the most-thought-provoking dean to our time. During the internship programme, I was an intern (and later employee) at Studio 1212 founded by Kak Max Suriaganda (lecturer of DKV 5 and Fashion Design), where I was taught the multidisciplinary aspect of design thinking through comprehensive methods. Not to forget, that one of the most memorable moment I had is the spatial experience of everyday life in Gedung B. The building is utilised for DKV classes, which was once a parking ramp that brought a Brutalist atmosphere alongside the depressive yet apocalyptic classroom in contrast with the hyper decorative kitschy scenery outside the building. A bizarre visual stimuli.
On the other note, I couldn’t recall which subject I found most impressive. As far as I remember, in UPH I met lecturers who were radically interesting who have become my mentors to this present day, Pak FX Harsono and Kak Max Suriaganda. Pak FX Harsono led the Aesthetic Philosophy course and was also my final assignment supervisor, whilst Kak Max led the DKV 5 and Fashion Design courses. In my opinion, visual communication design is very philosophical and does not have to be normative and industrial-based subject, so this course provides the basics for thinking about design philosophically, sustainably and multi-disciplinary.
Apart from the loaded assignments, studying at UPH was quite expensive. Time management is really crucial. Therefore, I am not sure whether to recommend it or not. However, to be honest, when I was in high school I was still confused about where to study, so maybe it would be better for the campus to provide more information for the potential candidates about visual communication design. I think understanding the inevitable high cost of campus assignment is important. There should be more engagements that might serve as opportunities for students and the general public. And, I hope the campus institution will foster a culture of curiosity, experimentation and creative response, to support students to work on the transformation of an existing project, the creative development of a new work, a new piece of research, or an experiment to try something new. Also perhaps it would be great for design campus institutions to reach and engage with diverse and broader cultural practices to foster the curious mind of the student.
Our parents might have a belief system for the ancient fiction called religion, but each religion has its own storytelling structure. What if we said, the only structure we should believe is the fiction inside our head.Every decision is fiction, all fiction is a decision.
Point 0.4 from the Manifesto of Tactile and Fanciful Tactics on How to Build a Speculative Future through 1.0 Alternatives and Plausible Cosmic Solutions — Natasha Tontey (2018)
Natasha Tontey is an artist and researcher based in between Jakarta and Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Her artistic practice predominantly explores the fictional accounts of the history and myths surrounding ‘manufactured fear.’ In her practice, she observes any possibilities of other futures that are projected not from the perspective of major and established institutions, but a subtle and personal struggle of the outcasted entities and beings.
Her recent exhibitions include a solo show at Auto Italia, London, UK (2022). And selected group shows and screening at 34th Singapore International Film Festival (2023), Green Snakes at Tai Kwun Contemporary Hong Kong (2023), Voice Againts Reason at Museum MACAN Jakarta (2023), 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (2023), Singapore Biennale (2022); De Stroom Den Haag (2022); GHOST;2565, Bangkok, Thailand (2022); Protozone8 Queer Trust, Zürich, Switzerland (2022); Arko Art Council, Seoul, Korea (2022), Leeum Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea (2022); Hamburger Bahnhof, Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin (2021); transmediale, Berlin (2021); Performance Space 2021, Sydney; Other Futures, Amsterdam (2021); Singapore International Film Festival (2021), Kyoto Experiment 2021; Asian Film Archive, Singapore (2021).
In 2020, she received the HASH Award from the ZKM, Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe and Akademie Schloss-Solitude. She was a fellow for Human Machine of the Junge Akademie at Akademie der Künste Berlin 2021-2023.
Hi! I’m Eunike Florencia, a Graphic Design graduate from Pelita Harapan University’s class of 2017. After graduation, I delved into the entrepreneurial world as the founder of Hore Days, a business centered around illustration. My mission is to convey positive messages through my illustrations and bring joy to others’ lives. I first envisioned Hore Days during my time at UPH, and now, armed with the knowledge I acquired, I continue to manage it while also pursuing my passion for graphic design through various freelance projects since my university days.
My journey at UPH has been a mix of unforgettable moments and daunting challenges. I encountered setbacks, including failing multiple classes due to struggles in time management. Yet, each stumble pushed me to grow, revealing insights into my true purpose. I discovered more potential within myself, forged genuine connections, and cultivated new friendships not only within my major but also beyond, thanks to the numerous volunteer opportunities UPH offered.
My heart is filled with gratitude as I reflect on the years I spent at UPH, as they have transformed me for the better. Each course has its own valuable impact on me. However, there is one class that still evokes a warm feeling whenever I reminisce about it, and that is the Drawing Class with Mr. Donny Ibrahim. I remember being taught about perspective drawing and practicing live drawing together with charcoal in class, with my friends as the models.
Many other courses also provided us with the opportunity to go with our classmates and explore various works of art in different places and museums. This experience proves invaluable in our professional lives as it also broadens our knowledge.
I recommend young creatives who want to pursue design to study at UPH because not only does UPH instill Christian values and provide great facilities, but it also equipped me with a solid foundation in design and offered classes in soft skills to sustain my career in the industry. I acquired essential skills, such as time and project management skills, design thinking, and many more.
I remember the time when I was still a student at UPH, there was one lecturer who said that to be able to ‘think outside the box’, we first need to know what the ‘box’ is, and university is a time to identify that ‘box’.
Hello! My name is Tabita Eleora, I’m one of the alumni in UPH 2019 (2019-2023). My major while I studied here was Visual Communication Design with a concentration in Animation. For the few years before I got into the concentration, I learned so much about the basic foundation on design. The process of design is no different within the concentrations and with these foundations, I was able to understand furthermore as I learned how to produce animation from pre-production to post-production. In my years of this concentration, I found myself interested in the storymaking aspect in animation production.
Building stories and characters were some of the many things I have been interested in since I was young. I have been drawing for a long time, though I was more focused on sharpening my skills not too far back before I applied to study here in UPH. My knowledge of art was severely humbled when I got in, there’s so many aspects that makes someone a great designer and just being able to draw is not a full guarantee. To be a capable designer, we can’t all rely on skills and passion alone. There are theories, methods, even history to learn about. There’s dedicated research to understand the purpose of each design. Creating a design is a lot more of mindwork and practice, and something that can be studied diligently here at UPH.
The studies were a great foundation that helps me in understanding art and design, but UPH greatly encourages everyone to work together as a team. There’s a lot of projects that can’t be handled on your own. Communicating and discussing with your peers are much needed skills when our goal is to communicate a design, especially in the industry. Team projects were one of the challenges that truly helped me regain confidence and more skills. Being able to work with others is one of useful quality networking that people tend to remember.
One of the courses that helped me was “Desain untuk Masyarakat” or Design for Community. This course not only challenges us creatively, it challenges us to work as a team and solve problems that were presented. We were not only designing for scores, but we designed to lend a hand in providing our community our services. That alone has meaningful points that made me appreciate this course. I was able to learn more useful skills outside of designing.
One of the things I remembered that stuck with me for the longest time was when my lecturer told us that “We will never stop learning in this industry.” This quote came true to me because after graduating, I find myself wanting to dive more about design. Creative work has no limit in learning, we’re constantly challenged in this day and age to mend our skills following trends and technology. And UPH offers fundamentals that gave me a heads up start in this learning experience.
Going into this industry, I have my own doubts at first. but with UPH’s guidance, I was able to be confident and believe in my passion to create. UPH allows me to discover myself and have my own journey in learning art and design. The process may have its ups and downs, yet it’s the process to create oneself. Something that I hold dear as I graduate and something I hope every future student who’d want to discover themselves with UPH.
First of all, we welcome the students from VCD Universitas Multimedia Nusantara who joined the exchange student program. They have joined the online orientation and also currently attending several classes at VCD UPH this semester.
We also had student activites this month. First, the student farewell for the students that finished their final project last semester. Second, titled PDKT, which is a student bonding event held by the student association.
For this SEE’s featured work, we feature Felicia Karen Rawung’s final project. She is from the animation concentration, and her project was one of the best final project from the 2023/2024 Odd Semester.
Last update from January 2024 is that there were three new publications: de-lite, ARCHIVED, and UPH AICON 2023 Catalogue. We also republished one book that was from Design & Environment course back in 2021/2022.
We hope that everyone can be inspired more in February 2024.
