Eyes and Ears: Design Lecture Series w/ Crystal Zapata

The PNCA Design Lecture Series welcomes designers from all over the world to share their work and what moves them. To close out our Spring 2025 series, Crystal Zapata will talk with us about her work and the areas where design and music--and collaborations with musicians--drive her practice.

This lecture is hosted by PNCA Graphic Design in conjunction with "Eyes and Ears, A Survey of Visuals in Music 2020–2024," on exhibit February 6 to April 3, 2025.

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Crystal Zapata (she/her) is a graphic designer and artist based in Chicago. She develops printed matter, identities, illustrations, wearables, environments, and images for cultural institutions, brands, and collaborators in fashion and music. Her interest in a range of artistic disciplines guides a process based in craft and material. With an approach motivated by the intersection of cultural interests and a reverence for nature, she seeks to imbue her work with intentionality and a sense of touch.

Crystal's clients include 4AD, A24, Calvin Klein, The New York Times, Saint Heron, SSENSE, Levi’s, Rapha, Nike, Adidas, On, Ballroom Marfa, International Anthem, Co–Star, Rimowa, PAPER Magazine, Highsnobiety, CRACK Magazine, and Apple, among others. Crystal has also worked on projects for the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Pitchfork Music Festival, The Poetry Foundation, Standpunkte, and Luftwerk at Normal.

We can’t wait to chat with Crystal more about what drives her creative practice!

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FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Pacific Northwest College of Art
In the first-floor Mediatheque
511 NW Broadway, Portland, OR 97209

Livestream event available for our communities who can't be here in person!
Register to receive a link and a reminder.

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Hosted by the BFA Graphic Design program at Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) since 2016, and co-founded with FISK, the PNCA Design Lecture Series welcomes in a diverse range of creative folks to explore the broad and vibrant possibilities of what design can be and do in the world today. For more than 100 years, the Pacific Northwest College of Art has served as a dynamic creative center for emerging artists, designers, and creators. PNCA is part of Willamette University.

Check out more of Crystal's work at crystalzapata.com or find her on instagram @crystalzapata.

Follow along with "Eyes and Ears, A Survey of Visuals in Music 2020–2024," curated by Bijan Berahimi of FISK, co-curated with Noah Porter and Kristin Rogers Brown, and presented by Center for Contemporary Art & Culture and PNCA Graphic Design, @eyes___and___ears.

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Learn more about PNCA Design community, including more about our program, inspiring student work, and extended communities, at https://pnca.willamette.edu/academics/bfa/graphic-design/ or by following us on instagram @PNCADesign.

Posters by Bijan Berahimi / FISK.

Host or Publisher Hallie Ford School of Graduate Studies at PNCA