As director of the Graphic Design Research Initiative at the University of Houston-Downtown (2014-2017), I collaborated with the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts (TFAA) and a group of design students in the design and production of a book reflecting on the public art exhibition Open the Door, consisting on the collaborative creation of 60 doors by Texan and French artists. These doors were placed in 19 different locations in the greater Houston area, forming a “cultural trail.”
My team organized and implemented interviews, art-directed photographic sessions, and selected the information of the book, authoring a significant portion of the contents alongside TFAA representatives. We designed and oversaw the production of this publication that now serves as a tool for the TFAA to help donors, community leaders in Texas, and collaborators in France to understand the complexity and impact of their multiple art initiatives and multi-city programs.
Project Keywords
Design for Social Impact, Collaborative Design, Book Design, Editorial, Public Art, Community Engagement
Recognition
This book was selected as second place finalist in the Book and Editorial Category of the Design Now: Houston Exhibition 2014, organized by AIGA
The design of the book is based on the story of Open the Door, Houston’s public art project. Organized by the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts, the project consists on the collaboration of artists from France and Texas in the elaboration of 60 full-size doors that were distributed along an “art trail” around the city
Sample spread
Sample spread
The book was exhibited during the Design Now: Houston Exhibition 2014, organized by AIGA
