Design thinking on the Chinoy diaspora

DOES a chasm divide art and design? Art thinking generated the first smartphone, but design thinking turned it into a cultural wonder.

The two, however, seem to sit comfortably well in the artworks of Winna Go, one of the most promising young artists of her generation. She is currently preparing for upcoming local and international solo exhibits and group shows slated between now and 2026.

The young artist, born in 1997, defines design thinking as user-centric, a mindset that requires empathy with the «user» whose problems design seeks to solve. She applies that kind of design thinking in her art-making process, believing «that artists are also capable of solving problems, most especially societal issues,» says Go.

Her deep awareness of the social context is undeniable in the making of her art, which effectively communicates because the imagery clarifies the ideas she wants to explore.

The works at her recent exhibit at the Finale Art File last August, entitled «On the Roots and Routes of Diaspora,» followed the same design practice. Divided into four parts, namely, «Revolutionary Antecedents,» «Diaspora in Blue,» «Reimagined Community» and «Endeavored Prosperity,» the canvases emanated from feelings of solidarity with the myriads who migrate on land and sea. Go describes the diasporic journey as a «perilous venture that takes lives of hundreds of thousands of people.»

Her works are hyper-realistic renditions of patterns of paofu, a traditional long one-piece robe whose upper and lower parts are constructed from a single fabric, making them blend seamlessly. Images of the dragon, phoenix, Arowana and fu dog danced on the fabric as though manufactured with precision. Once sacred and now part of popular lore, the iconography recalls the Chinese mass migration starting in the 1900s in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines.

Instead of imposing what cultural identity entails, Go tests the viewers' knowledge of their own cultural roots. For example, she corrects common mistakes about the paofu. The robes are unisex and worn mainly by men; sometimes, women wear them too.

The merger of art and design thinking was also keenly felt in the installation work