2024 Edition

Páginas Mestras

Exploring Cultural Legacy Through Design

FBAUP’s Dean – Prof. Lúcia Almeida Matos – during the opening address of the exhibition.

Welcome to Páginas Mestras, the 2024 Master’s in Graphic Design and Editorial Projects exhibition, where an array of handmade books and posters reflects not only the creative mastery of the students but also the foundational “master pages” of design—both in their technical and metaphorical sense. This exhibition celebrates students’ journey toward becoming future masters in the design field while playing the pivotal role of paper pages in editorial work.

The exhibition was conceptualized by Prof. Rui Vitorino Santos (right) and was produced by a group of students (from which Catarina Santos and Bernardo Xavier on the left were an active part)

The collection presents a broad range of themes and techniques, each offering a fresh perspective on how design-based research can tackle contemporary societal challenges by providing a narrative that combines Typography, Illustration, Art Direction, Data Visualization, Visual Storytelling, and Cultural Heritage interpretations. The works developed during the course and presented in the exhibition serve as both professional and academic expressions of research, demonstrating the powerful role of design in shaping how we engage with the world. These are the “master pages” where design narratives are brought to life, produced by students aspiring to the roles of design masters.

The opening of the exhibition was very participated by different study cycle students, mainly from the 3rd and 4th years of the Communication Design bachelor. And from the multiple years of MDGPE master program (Top left image). The Design Department director, Prof. Miguel Carvalhais acknowledged the importance and participation of this study cycle in the Design community of FBAUP (Top middle image), followed by the Exhibition Curator — Prof. Rui Vitorino Santos — explaining the concept and design, thanking all the students who organized and produced it (Top right image). We had a very special guest attending — the former course director, Prof. António Modesto Nunes — that honored this moment and made us very proud to be able to “carry on the torch” (Bottom images, with prof. Mário Moura on the bottom right image).

Students examine statements from visual journeys that capture individual and collective regions that rescue and archive various interpretations of what might be considered cultural heritage through the pieces on display.

Leonor (left) and Sofia (right) — bachelor students in Communication Design — exploring some of the editorial works on display.

This exhibition features some of the works developed by the students individually or in groups during the first year of the study cycle’s curricular units and the second year in collaboration with their supervisors. It highlights the potential and particularities of the master’s degree with the explicit goal of motivating, engaging, and communicating.

One of the newly enrolled 1st year students of the MDGPE exploring the works he’ll be doing inf a few weeks.

Typography and Cultural Heritage

Typography is crucial to many projects, highlighting its role in cultural heritage. Students explore how typefaces and fonts carry cultural history, blending old-world techniques with modern accessibility and contemporary digital tools and practices. These projects honor the past while pushing contemporary design boundaries, highlighting the power of typography in preserving and sharing cultural narratives through different artifacts and experiences.

Illustration, Photography, and Visual Storytelling

The exhibition utilizes image-based communication in various forms, including photography, pictographic, illustration, and visual data and graphics, to capture cultural memory and preserve spaces and memories. The works combine visual narrative techniques with thoughtful design, creating immersive experiences that engage the viewer deeply with the subjects, addressing themes of memory, time, and history.

Books for Deeper Diving

The exhibition showcases handcrafted books with meticulous industrial or manual printing, binding, and finishing processes, allowing for tactile engagement and a deeper connection between the viewer and the work often bridging transmedia experiences. Some projects use abstract concepts, paired with intricate layouts and hidden details, bridging the gap between academic research, education, and creative practices.

Identity, History, and Objects

Projects explore the connection between identity, cultural heritage, and material objects like jewelry, ceramics, and symbols. Or the processes and visual presentations of brands and cultural institutions. They reveal deeper meanings through documentation and creative interpretation, connecting objects to historical narratives and using design as a bridge between past and present.

A blurry wid view of the part of the gallery holding the 1st year curricular works of the students.

The exhibition focused on books, but posters offer visual statements that communicate complex ideas. Bold colors, clear graphics, and strategic layouts convey complex research themes. Posters explore statistical analysis and societal issues, showcasing students’ ability to condense information into engaging designs.

Páginas Mestras celebrates the intersection of design, research, and real-world impact. It showcases students’ expertise in combining academic inquiry with creative practice, resulting in visually stunning and thoughtful works. The exhibition encourages aspiring designers to explore their interests and develop skills for translating complex ideas into impactful designs.

Turning Pages: Where Design Connects Past, Present, and Future

Everyone might discover something they appreciate at Páginas Mestras, whether they are intrigued with visual narratives, have a strong passion for typography, or are just curious about cultural heritage. Turning pages, literally and figuratively, is encouraged as you experience how design preserves the past to influence the future. In years to come, we hope you will find value in this exhibition and find it relevant to your academic, professional, or social life.

The exhibition was put together by a voluntary team of students — the Graphic Assembly [“Assembleia Gráfica”] — managing the Organization, Communication and Exhibition Production Support. The Graphic Assembly was composed by: Catarina Ferreira, Eunice Bastos, Francisca Rebelo, Joana Alves, Leonor Aguiar, Ricardo Figueiredo, Rita Melo, and Vanessa Sousa. And counted with the support from Ana Armada, Filipa Moreira and Bernardo Xavier during the production and assembly day.

Works on Exhibition

Ana Armada, Ana Leite, Ana Paula Hentges, Ana Pimenta, Anastasiia Zavalnuik, Andreza Teramoto, Aurelia Ferreira, Beatriz Martinez, Bernardo Xavier, Bruna Sousa, Catarina Ferreira, Christine Andres, Cristiana Braz, Daniel de Sousa, Eunice Bastos, Filipa Moreira, Francisca Fradinho, Francisca Rebelo, Gabriela Rezende, Joana Alves, Joana Moreira, Joana Teixeira, Laura Mineiro, Leonor Aguiar, Leonor Ribeiro, Mafalda Ribeiro, Maria Ribeiro, Mariana Costa, Matheus Coscia, Melissa Gaviria Henao, Pedro Nuno Gil Monteiro, Rita Melo, Rita Vieira, Sara Tavares, Sérgio Brito, Tiago Rego, Vanessa Sousa