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Positive responses to Asian Games posters unexpected: Creators
Conceptor Ade "Teple" Irawan and fashion director Erlangga S. Negoro shared the creative process behind the eye-catching Asian Games posters.
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One of the Asian Games posters. (www.facebook.com/asiangames2018//File)
“A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
That is how Ade "Teple" Irawan described his experience working for the Indonesian Asian Games Organizing Committee’s (INASGOC) communication department.
After officially joining the department's creative team -- which included creative director Elwin Mok and copywriter Fabiola Renetta -- in July last year, Teple was the one who came up with the design of the now viral Asian Games posters.
"There are two poster concepts: the first one highlights the Asian Games as Asia's biggest event; a battlefield between Asian countries -- since many still think this is an ASEAN event. We want to focus on the competitive and exciting parts; how huge it really is," Teple told The Jakarta Post on Monday. Real athletes are said to have been involved in the project.
Meanwhile, he said, the second concept sought to welcome all of Indonesia's Asian guests and introduce them to the highlights of the archipelago; how big and beautiful it was. "On one side, we want to introduce the faces of Asia to our own people. Meanwhile to our guests, we want to [introduce] Indonesia itself."
Following a very short preparation, which took about a month, the committee formed a team to work on the project, which included fashion director Erlangga S. Negoro, as well as photographers Nurulita Adriani Rahayu (for the "Sambut Energi Asia" poster) and Heret Frasthio (for the "Jagat Tarung Asia Raya" poster).
Regarding the destinations on the "Sambut Energi Asia" posters, Teple said among the considerations was visual judgment. "We made sure to choose destinations from different regions in Indonesia."
Erlangga, who directed the fashion part of the project, said the poster's concept was an exciting and interesting one. "Despite the limited preparation time, we immediately said yes [to the job offer], especially since we would be representing Indonesia," he told the Post on Monday.
Read also: Six Indonesian destinations featured in Asian Games images
With only a week to prepare, Erlangga said doing research for the project was quite dizzying because "playing with culture is not an easy thing to do, although it relates to fashion".
"Doing research about Asian cultures was also very exciting; like learning anthropology," he added. "After we learned more deeply about these cultures, we then started curating the designers that could best represent the looks."
Fortunately, said Erlangga, all the designers involved were very supportive. Deden Siswanto even sent [the items] directly from Bandung, West Java.
Other than Deden, whom Erlangga described as a designer who always works with Indonesian elements and whose layering look perfectly represents the culture of Central Asia, other fashion designers involved in the project were Mel Ahyar (“her Happa collections breathe Sulawesi culture and also represent Southeast Asia or those quite close to Thailand or Malaysia that use the sarung”), Albert Yanuar (“always consistent with oriental style and hence his shirt with dragon embroidery could represent East Asia”), Ghea Panggabean (“whose silhouette of tunic woven style relates to fashion from Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka”) and the Hayati brand (“whose latest collection was inspired by modern Qatar; suitable to represent Central and East Asia").
A post shared by Erlangga S Negoro (@erlangga_sn) on
After seeing the result and positive responses from the public, especially netizens, both Teple and Erlangga said it was quite unexpected.
"I didn't expect to receive such [positive] responses since [the project] was done in such a limited time. But I'm glad that they like it," said Erlangga.
"I'm quite surprised [by the responses]," said Teple. "Hopefully [the posters] can help people embrace the Asian Games. [Since the event] is not only a sports event, but also a gathering of Asian countries and their different cultures."
