James Pappalardo

Communication Design (Honours)

My name is James Pappalardo. I am a creative professional with a strong background in communication design and photography. I began my studies at Swinburne University, completing a Diploma in Graphic Design, followed by a double major in UX and Communication Design, and an Honours degree in Communication Design.

The highlight of my career as a designer was having a six-week role as a Communication Designer and Marketer at a studio in

South Korea. Looking ahead, I’m eager to join a creative agency where I can further develop my design skills and continue exploring the limitless possibilities of creativity.

unseen

‘unseen’ is an interactive photographic artifact featuring prints of ten carefully selected photographs. Each image is printed on 2mm acrylic using black ink, showcasing beauty that is often overlooked in everyday life. Each plate is elegantly wrapped in black cloth, enhancing intrigue as the contents
is unveiled.

US

‘Us’ was created with a clear vision in mind. I wanted the viewer to question what they were reading, while also interpreting the story each image is trying to tell. I purposefully tried to mask the original feeling and intention of each image using filters, to further engage the viewer.

History of Lygon St Signage

For this project, I explored different signage examples throughout Lygon St, to study the impact Italian Immigrants had on Melbourne’s identity, taking photos in person.

Secrets Uncovered

Secrets Uncovered was a campaign involved in promoting an exhibition on secret agents and spies. The green colour palette was used to provide the feeling of receiving secret digital intel, similar to an old DOS system.

Royal Botanic Gardens Annual Report

This Publication was created as an annual report for the Royal Botanic Gardens. I created my design to represent an aspect of the gardens I personally found most alluring to me, being texture.

Acknowledgement of Country

The School of Design and Architecture respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners and knowledge-keepers of the lands, waters and sky that surround us, where we work, learn, create, communicate and make place. We recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded and this always was and will always be Wurundjeri Country. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who continue to make a better world through design.

We extend our acknowledgement to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students, alumni, real-life clients, and knowledge keepers, who have contributed to our own education diversity and growth. We will continue to ensure that staff and students respectfully honour ancestral connection to Country and Place in everything that they do.

We are dedicated to the notion of design to make a better world and we acknowledge that making tools, shaping place, sharing stories, making meaning, wayfinding and collaborating have long been and continue to be both central and integral to First Peoples' cultures. We recognize that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ cultural contributions have continued relevance to design practice and commit to: reconciling ancestries of design and contemporary practice as well as pursuing culturally and professionally appropriate ways to engage with a diverse population of colleagues, industries and clients. In a time of treaty-making and voice we understand that there are overlaps between caring for Country and the sustainable production of goods, services, experiences, products and buildings.

Guided by the principles of respect, reconciliation, and reciprocity we undertake to indigenising and decolonising design practice by dismantling colonial structures and challenging biases that have marginalised Indigenous voices and design.

As students of SoDA you will be given opportunities to both engage with and educate yourself in Indigenous creative practices and cultural protocols through a lens of inclusivity, diversity, respect, mutual understanding, inter-cultural dialogue in all aspects of design practice. Indigenous people have been telling stories, making tools, and connecting to Country through visual media, placemaking and place marking for more than 60,000 years and these practices are part of an ongoing, evolving and live tradition.