Design represents, in any of its expressions –industrial, graphic or showroom– a decisive component in the relation between men and the environment. During the last half century, Latin America and the Caribbean have put themselves on the international map by yielding creativity and efficiency, though there’s still a lot to do and shed light on.   Imagination has been the premise of Latin American and Caribbean design. The vast number of creators (or creative as they are also known) in the region represents a singular level of competitiveness and excellence. With their capacity to make up the culture and identity of each country, the regional design has surpassed the physical-geographical space through the network, gaining personality and impact. If you think of design as platform of environmental and cultural qualification for people in society, digital space promotes a new approach to the world of objects and message to be communicated, within an age ruled by immediacy in the production and consumption of icons, images and objects.   On the other hand, the international recognition of projects that are aimed at the rational, the festive, the ecologic, the precariousness and the formal beauty of creators from the region, in design biennials and events such as the International Poster Design Biennial held in Mexico and the Latin American Design Biennial of Madrid, among others; as well as ICOGRADA International Congress, which has had different venues in Latin America, give the idea of strength gained by the practice of design in the Southern region of Rio Bravo.   Conect-art, with its generative capacity, proposes one of the possible maps, whose horizontal structure, in which everybody can fit, presents a plentiful joint of sites on design in the region. Through studios, agencies, creation groups or personal sites in the web, we have access to the finest of Latin American and Caribbean design. And even though there’s lack of balance favoring countries such as Argentina, Mexico or Brazil, in terms of network representativeness, young and acclaimed designers from the region showcase their works in the digital space, with matchless visual value and an even more impressive portfolio of projects.

COSTUME & ACCESSORIES

Cosecha Vintage / Julieta Ganoso (Argentina): www.cosechavintage.com.ar Rafia Farah (Brasil): www.saopaulocriacao.com.br Recicla Ahora (Bolivia): www.reciclaahora.com Music House/ Rodrigo Alonso (Chile): www.musuchouse.com Paulina Ortiz (Costa Rica): www.paulinaortiz.com Rodrigo Jacks (Paraguay): www.pombero.com Susan Wagner (Perú): www.susanwagnerlima.com Atelier Andrea Llosa (Perú): www.andreallosa.com Lorena Quiroga (Uruguay): www.quirogaquiroga.com Nada C.A / Omar Guerra y Carolina Pérez (Venezuela): www.nada.com.ve

GRAPHICS & ADVERTISING

Diseño Shakespear (Argentina): www.shakespearweb.com Espacio Cabina (Argentina): www.espaciocabina.com.ar Huerta Tipográfica (Argentina): www.huertatipografica.com.ar Felipe Taborda (Brasil): www.felipetaborda.com.br Grupo Bijarí (Brasil): www.bijari.com.br Ana Couto (Brasil): www.anacouto.com.br Kilo Farkas (Brasil): www.kikofarkas.com.br Estudio Infinito / Ruth Klotzel (Brasil): www.estudioinfinito.com Rico Lins (Brasil): www.ricolins.com GAD (Brasil): www.gad.com.br EG Design (Brasil): www.egdesign.com.br Julian Naranjo (Chile): www.naranjo.cl Cuartopiso (Colombia): www.cuartopiso.com Esteban Salgado (Ecuador): www.estebansalgado.com Giotto Latinbrand (Ecuador): www.latin-brand.com Pablo Iturralde (Ecuador): www.pabloiturralde.com Ideograma (México): www.ideograma.com Dinamomedia / Rogelio López Álvarez (México): www.dinamomedia.com Jorge Alderete (México): www.jorgealderete.com Javier Henríquez Lara (México): http://henriquezlara.com Ají Pintao (Panamá): www.ajipintao.com Celeste Prieto (Paraguay): www.celesteprieto.com Into Design Group SA (Perú): www.into.com.pe Elastic People (Puerto Rico): www.elasticpeople.com Lourdes Periche Agencia Creativa (Rep. Dominicana): www.lperiche.com Frida Larios (El Salvador): www.fridalarios.com MJF Comunicación (Uruguay): www.mjf.com.uy Trocadero. Gabinete de Diseño (Uruguay): www.trocadero.com.uy Aerolínea Creativa / Alberto Ciammaricone (Venezuela): www.aerolineacreativa.com Camelia Ediciones/ Mar Angélica Barreto (Venezuela): www.cameliaediciones.com

INDUSTRIAL & INTERIORS

Alex García (Argentina-EE.UU.): www.alexgarciaart.com Mesosfera Designe/ Gringo Cardía (Brasil): www.mesosfera.com.br Proyecto Espacios (Cuba): www.proyectoespacios.com DeKuba / Luis Ramírez y Miguel Garcés (Cuba): www.dekuba.com Francisco Javier Rodríguez Suárez (Puerto Rico): www.rsvp-architects.com Claudia Díaz Mañón / Grupo Amberes S.A (Rep. Dominicana): www.grupoamberes.com Michelle Urtecho & Asociados (Rep. Dominicana): www.michelleurtecho.com 7mm / Gabriela Pohoski Ortiz y Sergio Ferrando (Uruguay): http://sietemilimetros.blogspot.com Otai Design / Conrado Cifuentes (Venezuela): www.aerolineacreativa.com NMD. Nómadas (Venezuela): www.nomadas.net

NETWORKS & DESIGN PARTNERSHIPS

Unión de Diseñadores Gráficos de Argentina: www.udgba.com.ar Design Brasil: www.designbrasil.org.br Asociación de Diseño Gráfico (Brasil): www.adg.org.br Asociación Chilena de Empresas de Diseño: www.qvid.cl Colegio de Diseñadores (Chile): http://colegiodisenadores.cl Comité Prográfica Cubana (Cuba): www.prografica.cult.cu Círculo Creativo de Honduras: http://elcirculodehonduras.blogspot.com