Package Design China + Survey Select Revise

“Survey Select” was an eight-week art happening and cultural event that took place last year from July 15 through September 5, 2010. Art and culture in San Diego would never be the same as “Survey Select” featured 68 world-renown artists, 8 acclaimed writers and 32 live events including: films, workshops, lectures and musical performances.

As you can imagine, “Survey Select” was a labor of love and personal vestment of blood, sweat and tears, but totally worth it in every way. One of the highlights, and there were many, happened on Wednesday, August 18 when 31 leading luminaries, designers and educators from China snapped their way through the “Survey Select” space. My close friend, Bennett Peji, City of San Diego Commissioner of Arts & Culture, was returning the favor to the Chinese contingent, as one year before was visiting China’s design scene in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

As luck would have it, the publisher and chief editor of Package Design China, Huang Li was in attendance to record the entire happening. It was a great day, we spoke design, presented our works and socialized, trading business cards, samples of our work and promising to keep in touch.

Package Design China recently featured some of the San Diego design community in their most recent edition. I am honored to report that Murphy Design was featured over 6 glossy pages, along with Bennett Peji Design, Studio Conover and Visual Asylum. Thanks to Package Design China for celebrating innovative work for Ray Caesar, Hanna-Barbera, Brandon Boyd, Green Day and over 1000 artists represented on the pages of over 21 books represented in the magazine.

And this provides another perfect opportunity to give a shout outs to the entire “Survey Select” community who made it all possible—ALL featured artists 1-2-3, Jillian Seaman, Ninthlink, Clients & Profits/Mark Robillard, Marque Arts/Kelley Padrick, John Purlia, Communication Arts/Patrick Coyne, Art House Films, MANUOK, Glaceau, Trumer Pils, SDVAN, City Beat/Kinsee Morlan, USAToday/John Geddes, KPBS, Bennett Peji, John Goff, Gilad Segal, RedBull, Marti Kranzberg, Nancy Lutz, Michael Carbone, Hanna Chang, Pizza Rider/Hilary Rossi, Manuel Bello/Fecal Face, Lauren Saunders, Jolie Cash, Cindy Westen, Neysa Ramirez, Jeff Teitelman, Shae Stromme, Mariko Annu, Angela Costello, Jim Murphy, James and Ardelle Murphy, Art SD10/Ann Berchtold, Artist as Brand/Greg Spalenka, Illuminated Perfume/Roxana Villa, Bells&Whistles, Tasha Rae Jewelry/Tasha Rae Tatro, Chris Heimbuch, Oo Gallery/Kevin Paulsen, Barbara Nessim, Leila Tavakolizadeh, SSI, DJ G Roy, Thesis, Drew Andrews and all of you who traveled near and far.

Look out for more soon and “Lucid Dreams” featuring 30 fine artists (and more) from around the world July 08 through August 09, 2011 at the Noel-Baza Fine Art Gallery, and curated by Mark Murphy. Special events announced soon, including Comic-Con Booth No. 4833. Sweet. (Gary Taxali pictured above).

Manuel Bello’s Narrative Voice

Martin Wittfooth (detail)

Ladies and Gentlemen, the time has finally come. Years in the making, the brain child of Mark Murphy, author, curator, designer, director, writer and founder of Murphy Design. Murphy has spent a good part of 2010 fine tuning “Survey Select,” an international art arsenal that will no doubt go down as one of the most ground breaking art exhibits of 2010.

Anthony Lister : Justin Wood

Original Paintings created for Survey Select

“Survey Select” showcases more then 50 artists from around the globe. This exhibition carries one common theme, the fundamentals of narration. Granted there are many forms of art that tell a more abstract story but the whole premise of art in any form is it's voice. Good art should always be heard. “Survey Select” provides the platform needed to give these appointed artists a solitary voice without typecasting them into one particular genre or another.

Kent Williams : Oliver Vernon : Shawn Barber

Original Paintings created for Survey Select

On July 15th Mark Murphy will be gathering this power house assortment in a “Salon” setting based within the Wonder Bread Factory located in downtown San Diego (1400 Imperial Ave/SD). The “Salon” setting creates the perfect backdrop for what will surely inspire patrons of culture for years to come.

Manuel Bello : Fecal Face NY Correspondent

Mark Murphy is no stranger to art history and he is clearly taking notes from those who have broken molds in years past. “Survey Select” boldly challenges the traditional aspects of current art exhibitors by taking a completely new approach to what is known as conventional narration. This is more than just and art an exhibit, this is an art event. In the words of the great Hunter S. Thompson, "Buy the ticket, take the ride!" —Manuel Bello