Designers: March 2016 Archives

SPD Ex-0fficio Board member (and former President) Francesca Messina recently sat down with  Cuban graphic designer Gabriel (Gabo) León Lara in Havana. Gabriel represents the emerging multi-talented Cuba-based designers whose work spans poster design, identity design, illustration and publication design. As the U.S. embargo starts to lift, the awareness of the rich body of work and talent in Cuba will increase.

Says Francesca: "What struck me, aside from Gabo's obvious talent, was the story he told of the difficulties that designers in Cuba face in practicing their profession. Cuba has a storied legacy of poster design, and a world-class university program that has graduated generations of super talents. But on an everyday basis, lack of access to the internet and lack of access to basic hardware and software, and art supplies, makes accomplishing the great work they do even more extraordinary."

(see the complete interview after the slideshow).