El graphic design project T-shirts that teach It received 5 awards and ends up demonstrating the success of the pedagogical proposal. It was brought to the classroom by Leire Fernández Iñurritegui and Eduardo Herrera, following an innovative methodology to create images and convert them into an educational process for Spanish graphic design.
The name of the project T-shirts that teach – Erakusteko Kamisetak was recognized with the Pelikanor Gold International Illustration Award, within the category Best series of pictograms based on illustration. This is an award belonging to the Pelikanor Applied Illustration International Award from Veredictas Internacional, and in its 2023 edition it recognized the Spanish initiative.
An award for design and all the work that goes into it T-shirts that teach
El international jury Made up of figures from advertising, graphic design, marketing and packaging, it analyzes 32 different categories to present the awards. And in the edition that rewards the 2023 projects, T-shirts that teach has had the honor of being considered deserving of the highest award.
The project has a special merit, it was carried out through a IKDi3 Innovation Project UPV/EHU Laboratory. That is to say, his starting point was the commitment of the house of higher education to an action by the General Assembly of the United Nations Organization. Responding to the Sustainable Development Goals, the university classroom was the point of debate and discussion to carry out the educational project.
What was the t-shirt creation process like?
The professors responsible for the work were Leire Fernández Iñurritegui and Eduardo Herrera. Both direct the 'Letraz' Graphic Design and Typography Research Group at UPV/EHU. They are also professors of Graphic Design in the Creation and Design Degree of the Faculty of Fine Arts. How were the t-shirts created?
They asked the students to narrate, through each of the images, some of the different realities that emerge from the SDGs. The process led to the graphic representation of everyday objects, but diverting their meaning towards new perspectives.
The project seeks to raise new realities and thus disrupt the usual order of people's perception. Thus drawing attention to the different UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through the designs converted into t-shirts, the students have become graphic activists. Raising and generating awareness regarding the different problems that the SDGs aim to solve.
Some of the images and their representations
SDG number 2, Zero Hunger, is part of the proposal converted into a t-shirt. Here you can see the logo of a well-known fast food brand, intervened with an instrument for measuring body fat. Or SDG number 3, Health and well-being, represented by a mosquito – syringe. This last proposal alludes to the need for medical treatments and how access to them helps prevent pandemics and the proliferation of different diseases.
In this vein are the different designs that were awarded thanks to the success of T-shirts that teach. In relation to SDG 5, Gender Equality, a design was made with a butterfly. A razor blade is hidden in the design of the insect. A symbol of female mutilation to which millions of girls in the world are still exposed.
The project was also awarded two Selection awards in another section of the delivery. Clearly the initiative has had a strong impact on the world of graphic design, since it not only helps generate awareness from images, but also has deep reflection work. Listening to the voices of the students, generating paths for their expression and turning them into t-shirts is the key to the project.
The commitment of the University of the Basque Country
The large educational and training work carried out by the University of the Basque Country is reflected in a professional and concrete manner in this wide variety of awards. The initiative has the recognition of the international graphic design community, but it has also left teachers and students with great satisfaction. Clearly it is a greater motivation to continue generating initiatives of this type.
For invite the community to see the award-winning content, the three campuses of the institution have served as a gallery, and also other events such as Naukas Bilbao, Artes Visuales Getxo and Bilbao Bizkaia Design Week. The goal is for the images, printed on t-shirts, to continue to circulate and become known. That they awaken reflection on the part of the spectators and add to the great design work carried out by the professional team of the University of the Basque Country. Beyond awards and congratulations, commitment is key to continue generating initiatives of international recognition and functionality for community formation.