Earlier this year, in response to a disturbing rise in discrimination, hostility, and violence against Asians — concurrent with the social upheaval sparked by the murder of George Floyd — we at The One Club for Creativity launched a creative initiative called We Are One. Partnering with OUTFRONT Media, our goal was to invite our community to design digital posters that showcase their talents while giving voice to a need for support and solidarity both within our industry and the world at large.

The response from our community has been overwhelming, with submissions coming in from all over the world. A committee of One Club Board Members curated a selection of posters, which you can see in our online gallery. Many of these have been featured on our social media channels, and some will even be showcased on billboards across the country.

We had a quick discussion with a handful of the artists whose creations of love, strength, and unity have been selected to appear on OUTFRONT billboards: Wei Su; graphic designer and illustrator; Diego Fernández Brun; graphic designer; Tomato Košir, visual designer; and Vidushi Goel, designer.

Tomato Košir: It's time to engage ourselves in multiple social causes. Our profession allows us to be of service not only to our clients and their products, but also to broader agendas. People read less, and shorter texts. Constant daily disruptions and the cacophony of unrefined opinions further degrade even those beneficial messages that are actually received. Visual communication has tools allowing us quicker access to the brain then text or audio. If the message is designed properly, it can be properly decoded, become memorable, and affect us and our actions.

"If the message is designed properly, it can be properly decoded, become memorable, and affect us and our actions."

The “We are One” campaign expands our individual reach. It is a rare case of a professional event that isn't just for patting each others’ backs to make ourselves feel good. We have felt good and complacent for too long, and have allowed ourselves to go partially blind. Now we have to serve to the best of our abilities. Every little contribution stacks up and makes our society just a bit better

Most of all I hope what the puzzle piece conveys to me, also conveys to the general public. Design isn't like art, which can be interpreted in ways perhaps unintended by the author. It has to be focused on conveying our message clearly. We complement each other. We are one. That is the message that got lost, and that is the missing piece to peace.

"We complement each other. We are one. That is the message that got lost, and that is the missing piece to peace."

Whenever design is in fact art is an ongoing topic in our profession. That being said, I believe that the term ‘art’ in graphic design can only be used in terms of choosing the design so masterfully that the message hits that elusive target somewhere in the amygdala. That is what I consider art in design.

To be useful is what inspires me. I know there is a design solution to most communication problems. It doesn't matter who are you working for, be it The Guardian, The Ministry of Culture, Weissenseer's Wooden Houses, etc. if the brief is clear, I can answer it. Our profession can answer it.

Currently I am working on a couple of corporate visual identities and visual comments for newspapers and magazines, and organizing the 18th TypeClinic type design workshop.