I recently attended the ADM 2022:& Beyond show by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), which was a showcase of design and media graduate projects. I learned about it on Tiktok and decided to drop by as it looked interesting. I love learning about creative things, so I took this as an opportunity to examine different creative presentations and processes. I figured maybe I could get a better idea of what would and wouldn't look good in a display for the ECO/VERSE exhibition (which was drawing closer) and maybe for future projects.

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The first section I hit was Product Design. A presentation that stood out to me was one titled “Alleyway Living”, which was inspired by cramped spaces. I wasn’t sure what the product was, but the display was incredibly creative. It was helpfully situated next to a bright yellow wall, which I’m sure contributed to its standing out. The explanation of the design concept was printed on a T-shirt, which was displayed to look as if it were part of someones’ laundry. The lamp with a plastic basket was also a fascinating display, and incredibly resourceful. 

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In the next room, a display called “Flavours of the Sun” centered around connectedness in urbanity. It was particularly interesting because it was clear from the visuals and its name that it had a big focus on nature. Yet, it could communicate a sense of nature without any plants. The general concept of being in nature was communicated through natural sounds and the impression of foliage blocking the sun. 

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A display titled “Imitation of Life” was something I was drawn to due to its aesthetic. I found it really cool that it was projected onto a giant piece of paper, but each photo was painted around. Essentially, a frame was painted on. There was a sense of imperfection and physical solidness from this that really brought the whole display together. It occurred to me at this point that a projected black would have made the entire presentation far less present, in a sense.

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Next up was the graphic design and animation section. The first display that stood out was “Catphished!”. It was a fairly simple arrangement laid out around a large wall-to-floor receipt. It had a creative presentation, and it was pretty refreshing to see something presented on the floor as well. 

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My last stop was at the film and photography section. While I do have a deep appreciation for film and photography, I have always harbored a reluctance to be someone behind the camera. Yet, I felt very inspired to take on or start somewhere. I realized I always have a sense of what’s aesthetic or not in my head but a hesitance to make that image a reality. 3 projects and their respective aesthetics particularly inspired me:

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I can’t ascertain exactly why I like these pieces so much, but there’s a sort of rawness to all 3, which I was very much drawn to.

Overall, I think the exhibition was a fun learning experience for me, especially seeing how all these design students presented their final projects. I figure it acts as a gauge on the kind of standard there was, and it was cool to see which exhibits got business cards left there from people interested in working with them. There were some exhibitions I learned from, and obviously a lot I was inspired by. It was incredible to see so much creativity in one space, and it left me wanting to explore my own creative thinking as well.