In its ten-year journey, Bandung-based graphic design studio Nusaé has collaborated with government agencies, architectural bureaus, and fashion houses. Their works have been featured in museums, train stations, national banks, coffee shops, and new cities. Celebrating its first decade, Nusaé will hold an exhibition titled "Harmonisasi/Harmonizing" from 31 May to 16 June 2024 at the Emiria Soenassa Gallery, Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta.
Nusaé specialises in visual information encompassing environmental graphic design, signage systems, editorial design, user interface, and branding. In their professional practice, the company always brings the value of harmony and harmonization, which is reflected in various project contexts and artistic mediums.
The exhibition title "Harmonisasi/Harmonizing" comes from Nusaé’s core value – that design works must be performative yet in harmony with its environmental context. The exhibition and design programs are open to the public, in line with the idea that good design should be a part of everyday life. The showcased projects include the city branding project "Menuju Tubaba," the visual renewal of Peggy Hartanto fashion house, and the installation work "Elevation" by architecture studio Andramatin.
The "Harmonisasi/Harmonizing" exhibition is divided into five parts that demonstrate various forms of harmony in design:
- Subtle: a harmonization strategy where designs must make an impact without shouting. In this section, Nusaé illustrates its approach to creating designs that appear minimal yet remain vital within their contexts.
- Adapt: a design approach where Nusaé borrows forms or elements from a culture then applies them harmoniously to a project. This strategy aims to create a contextual design.
- Contrast: a design approach intentionally made to be more striking and easily noticeable without obstructing other elements. The strategy aims for the design work to act as a connector among various elements.
- Fusion: a harmonization strategy where Nusaé presents collaborative designs resulting from the juxtaposition of various perspectives, ideas, and roles. This approach is also a manifestation of the design process that crosses disciplines and sectors to produce holistic, coherent, and representative designs for all involved parties.
- Aptness: Nusaé's effort to explore new possibilities and delve deeper into the possibilities of harmony in design. This effort is not limited to professional practices but also extends to educational initiatives and outreach to communities within the creative and design ecosystem where Nusaé operates.
Andi Rahmat, the principal designer & director at NUSAÉ, explains the thinking behind the exhibition: "We design this exhibition as a milestone - a moment to reflect on the thoughts and works that have emerged from our collaboration with various disciplines related to design. This exhibition is not just a showcase of projects we've been involved in, but an opportunity to initiate dialogue about the role of design in everyday life. We hope to engage the audience and exchange ideas about how design impacts the society."
During the exhibition period, there will be discussions with industry figures from Indonesia and Japan, exhibition tours, as well as workshops for children. “Harmonisasi/Harmonizing” is open to the public for free and is supported by a number of stakeholders including Jakpro, Compositura, BMKK, and Paragon.