Like many large cities around the world, Caracas is perennially thirsting for something interesting to do. Simpl3 was formed in the early aughts to serve that need. The collective of artists, DJs and designers were interested in putting together amazing parties—but with a twist. Every event was meticulously designed, right down to the flyers used to promote them. To this day, the parties are the stuff of legend. As these things tend to go, the hugely successful parties opened up other opportunities. They began putting together exhibitions, making use of the prodigious talents of the members the group to create different experiences. Simpl3 Tipo Gráfica is the most recent exhibition by the group; a type design and illustration exhibition curated by In-House partner Alexander Wright.
Simpl3 Tipo Gráfica
Process
Some things are so simple (no pun intended) that to write an origin story almost seems silly. The way the collective has done things from the very beginning goes a little something like this: people get together someplace and bounce ideas around. Something gathers traction, and the idea is developed further. They decide to do something. And then they go out there and do it. Along with the exhibition pieces, a brand identity was developed and applied to the exhibition itself, a print publication with the artwork, and a website made solely for Simpl3 Tipo Gráfica.
Results
The exhibition was a great success, and packed the venue to capacity throughout its run. What began as an idea to create a collective alphabet grew to include some of the countries greatest design luminaries as contributors. There was, of course, a party that showed the work. And there was an exhibition, which was also opened with great revelry. Beyond the exhibitions, the six-week run included talks by design legends in the region. A print catalog / book, a website, t-shirts, and even a brief documentary video. The exhibition and its materials were selected for BID, the Ibero-American design biennial. The website was nominated for the awwwards, the top honor given to designs for web, in the CSS category. The book published for the occasion sold well over 60% of copies printed, with the rest on sale at various curated design shops in Latin America and online.