SA design consultancy goes Latin

Designer, conceptual artist and creative director Peet Pienaar, magazine industry expert Hannerie Visser, both from South Africa, and Manuel Franzini, former marketing executive at MTV Latin America, head it up. Franzini is the MD of The President Latinámerica.

Comments Pienaar, creative director of The President, “Our design is Africa-inspired, but comments on Western design in an ironic way. We realised being in an ex-colonial context, designers around us often try to imitate European design and therefore become bad imitations of European design.

“We look at what happens on the streets in Africa and translate that into our own design. Things like brutality, ignorance of international copyright laws, luxury mixed with poverty and the lack of design history are all things we find totally inspiring and allow us to create fresh work.”

The city of Buenos Aires will host a party in honour of The President at which South African acts Van Coke Kartel and Yesterday's Pupil will perform with local bands and DJs, including Tremor, Manta Raya, Villa Diamante and Lagartijeando on 8 October 2009.

The consultancy will celebrate its launch with an exhibition of its work at This Is Not A Gallery at Cabrera 5849, Palermo Hollywood in Buenos Aires, 6-8 October 2009. The President will also offer a speaker at the annual TMDG Design Conference in Mar Del Plata, Argentina on 4 October.

For more, go to www.thepresident.co.za or www.thepresident.com.ar.