Africa to America :: Bridging the Cultural Design Divide

As a designer of Yoruba origin, my work has been strongly influenced by both Western and West African cultures. These influences have led me to conclude that design, like music, is a universal language. Experiences and cultural influences always enhance the dialogue of design, especially in terms of its philosophy and execution. Reason also dictates good design. From time immemorial, sub-Saharan Africa has been the bedrock of reason in graphical representation. Reason is however most effective when it is used in its appropriate context. In recent times, African design aesthetics have been misconstrued by the rest of the world – narrowly labeled by the West to represent only the naïve or the archaic or even just the mysterious, minimizing it to ritualistic masks, staffs and scenes narrative of a rural environment. Contemporary African design has been left out of the general design dialogue, just as the overall African population has been left out of the socio-economic dialogue that has consumed the modern world. The message seems to be that the contemporary African designer has nothing of aesthetic value to offer to the overall design community. The truth cannot be further from this. The principles of design (movement, texture, scale etc) are timeless and universal. The West African (especially Yoruba) designer combines these principles with other culturally relevant ones like yiye (appropriateness), pipe (completeness), tutu (coolness), ere (improvisation) and oju ona (design consciousness). His/her work is a hybrid – a blend of old and new, the West and the East. These principles are equally timeless and universal.

AIGA and similar design associations have a unique opportunity and responsibility to reach out and bridge the cultural divide and to promote design as an ideal that is as timeless and essential as freedom & equality. AIGA Charlotte has a part to play. We can start by building partnerships with designers & design associations in West Africa. We can also seek to understand design in developing and under developed nations, and also further involve ourselves in design that promotes peacemaking in a global environment. In the words of the advertising great Leo Burnett, “Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people.” When we attempt to reach out and understand design beyond our localized culture, the advantages to us will be limitless.