Design Process in Practice at Pratt Manhattan Gallery

Process in Practice, the latest exhibition at Pratt Manhattan Gallery, turns the spotlight toward the rich, multifaceted journeys of design itself. Opening Friday, June 27, the show brings together the work of notable alumni from Pratt Institute’s graduate and undergraduate Communications Design programs, inviting visitors to explore the often-invisible steps behind finished design outcomes.

Curated by Ginger Gregg Duggan and Judith Hoos Fox of c2-curatorsquared, with exhibition design by alumna Aryn Beitz, Process in Practice dismantles the perception of design as merely the visual result, instead emphasizing research, experimentation, iteration, and invention. The show aims to reveal both the complexity of the design process and the diverse practices that define the field today.

“By asking designers to present the development of a project rather than the outcome alone, we aimed to highlight the dynamic problem-solving and layered storytelling that design entails,” said Duggan and Fox.

From branding and type design to social impact work and fine art, the alumni featured in Process in Practice span the breadth of design’s potential. Their practices cross disciplines and geographies, covering public art in New York, children’s book storytelling in Mexico, type innovation in Bangkok, sustainability in publishing and user experience, and beyond.

The full list of participants includes Aryn Beitz, Joseph Cuillier III, Vincent Drayne, David Good, Beatriz Gutiérrez Hernández, Xinyi Li, Kadir Nelson, Snigdha Pamula, design collective Partner & Partners, Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya, Stefan Sagmeister, and Anuthin Wongsunkakon.

A joint initiative of Pratt’s Communications Design department, led by chairs Meta Newhouse and Gaia Hwang, and Pratt’s Department of Exhibitions, the show highlights the Institute’s long-standing commitment to design as a force for good and education that empowers creative leaders.

Process in Practice will be on display at Pratt Manhattan Gallery from June 27 to September 6, with a public reception on Thursday, June 26, from 6 to 8pm. Pratt Manhattan Gallery is located at 144 West 14th Street, New York, NY 10011, and is open from 11am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

To learn more, visit pratt.edu.