Creative Designer on Product Designing: Engage with the community, be one with them

MALAYBALAY CITY– Mr. Christopher L. Gomez, Creative Designer and 2012 MADE Awardee and the Founder of LUNA by ORO Creative, emphasized the importance of engaging with the community and being one with them when it comes to product designing during the “HINANG” lecture on February 27, 2023.

“The nature of being a product designer is not just about growing and designing; it is a concern with the community who made the product,” Mr. Gomez said in his lecture on Product Designing held at the 4^th floor of the University Research building.

He added that to “be one with them means to understand them.”

“Bata pa ta, (since we were young) we were already engaging in design, and we were surrounded everyday by product designs,” he said.

He emphasized that one of his most preferred stages in product designing is to immerse in the community because from that, he could learn from them. He said he could also evaluate from makers and crafters as to what were their understanding when it comes to what they do.

When it comes to designing, he said that he will not, in any way, destroy the integrity of the crafts and culture, and that “it will remain intact (I’ m) just adding colours to a greater market.”

Mr. Gomez said that design is a matter of systematizing our lives to make it efficient and better, and that we just engineer them to make use of everything for sustainability and for the environment.

Mr. Gomez was the resource speaker during the university’s “HINANG” lecture in celebration of the Art Month. The word “HINANG” is a Binukid term for “design.”

Mr. Gomez is a multidisciplinary creative and advocate of sustainable design, with a practice that culls from a rich experience in visual arts, graphic design, and community engagement.

He received Grand Price Water based category in Metrobank Art and Design Award 2012. A finalist in Look Style Awards 2014 by British Council and Look Magazine. A finalist in 2008 ASEAN Youth Artwork Creative Contest in Naning, China and represented the Philippines in Art Trek in Singapore.

Currently, he conducts Design Development Programs for BANGSAMORO area under the Ministry of Trade Investment and Tourism (MTIT)- BARMM.

The Bukidnon Studies Center, headed by Ms Loreta Sol S. Dinlayan, in partnership with the Information Unit facilitated the said lecture seminar in celebration of the Art Month.

Ms Dinlayan said that this activity is also significant for Bukidnon Studies Center (BSC) because it is their first time to hurdle and do levelled endeavour in improving service for the stakeholders of Bukidnon State University in relation to Indigenous Peoples Right’s advocacy.

During the open forum, Ms Dinlayan asked the resource speaker on his suggestions to improve the service in promoting the Indigenous People (IP) products through Kauyagan Project.

Mr. Gomez cited “checking the packaging to make it catchy and appealing” as an important factor in his response. Kauyagan Project is an initiative of the Bukidnon Studies Center to extend help and promote Indigenous People’s product such as in packaging, product branding and venue for display to support their and livelihood and development.

Ms Dinlayan said that the Bukidnon Study Center will be in partnership with Mr. Chris Gomez in visiting the museum and reviewing the products for future plans and the Kauyagan Project in BukSU. The Information Point Persons (IPPs) from the different offices and select students attended the lecture.

The Bukidnon Studies Center in partnership with the OP-Information and Publication Services also conducted a Photography Workshop with Glenn Palacio as the Resource speaker. It was held at the University Mini Theater on February 13, 2023.

The said workshop focused on the theme: Art and Culture: Hulagway sa Kultura.

Photo/Video documenters from the different offices attended the workshop. (Mr. Carl Eian V. Nogra/Information Unit Intern).