Back in August, a delegation of educators, designers and dignitaries from China visited “Survey Select.” Fortunately, Huangli, the publisher of China’s Package & Design Magazine, selected 4 San Diego firms to be featured in the October issue. The following is text that was submitted to introduce the magazine to the design world I celebrate.
Green Day Art Project curated by Logan Hicks (Meggs on Cover)
Mark Murphy is a San Diego based feature film director and award-winning documentarian, author, fine arts publisher and world-renowned fine art collector. All of these attributes have been achieved by design. In fact, Mark Murphy, principal of Murphy Design, loves all aspects of the visual arts. Whether working with Fortune 500 corporations such as American Express or Brandon Boyd, lead singer of Incubus, Mark’s approach to design remains the same.
Second Brandon Boyd Book, From the Murks of the Sultry Abyss
For over twenty years, Mark and Murphy Design have delivered graphic design solutions that embody a passion to educate, inspire and motivate the public. From his early beginnings in Cleveland, Ohio, Mark developed a visual style that featured his love of typography, photography and illustration. An eclectic mix of styles applied to the multiple pages of annual reports. Back then, annual reports celebrated corporate culture and offered investors a roadmap to better understand advanced technologies and leadership practices. No small task, as annual reports required a full year of planning—visual language, message and production techniques.
Hanna-Barbera Treasures Book featuring Space Ghost
Mark credits the first 8 years of his career creating annual reports as the most significant time spent preparing to be a designer. Strategy, copy writing and the high-pressure of delivering a award-winning reports inspired the publishing of Murphy Design art books. Over the past ten years, 35 publications have featured over 750 living artists in artist monographs, museum catalogs and pop-culture collections. Each published title is produced in limited quantities and feature high-quality materials promoting collectibility.
Jeff Soto : Storm Clouds : limited edition, one-of-a-kind packaging
And it does not stop there. Mark Murphy believes that his life’s work is to further archive living artists in films, lectures, exhibitions and by collecting paintings, drawings and rare books. Mark describes this as a necessary dimension to his design practice, “It offers inspiration, creative freedom and the opportunity to educate/engage the public.” Recently, Mark showcased his commitment to the visual arts by underwriting an ambitious exhibition, “Survey Select,” held in San Diego, California.
Survey Select was built out of all found materials
“Survey Select” featured 100 original art works created by 55 world-class artists from 11 countries in a unified exhibition that celebrated Narrative Art. “Narrative” or storytelling was shared with the community over 8 weeks in a custom-converted warehouse space. “Survey Select” featured 32 live events: films, lectures, hands-on demonstrations and musical performances—entertaining over 3,700 people including 31 Leading designers, luminaries, educators and diplomats traveling from China in August of this year.
Corporate Identity for Media Boutique, SD Conservation, Surf Rider Pizza Café
Murphy Design actively pursues out-of-the-box thinking and believes that museum exhibitions are an effective way to stimulate creative exchanges with the public. Mark will tell you, “Art on walls is just one facet of the exchange. We work hard to script documentary films, program compelling web design and consider all facets of the experience—signage, furniture, promotional materials, PR, bookstore and products for sale. Everything in an exhibition hinges on the finer details of the overall design.”
Ray Caesar Limited Edition Box Package
You can think of Murphy Design as a multi-purpose design studio that has an incredible eye for detail and loves all aspects of design. Visit murphydesign.com for more information and check out Mark Murphy’s blog, murphydesign1.blogspot.com, for more creative samples.