About Elman Padilla

Elman Padilla is a multidisciplinary designer,photographer, and design educator with international experience across LatinAmerica, the Middle East, and North America. A Fulbright-LASPAU Scholar and graduate of Pratt Institute (M.S. in CommunicationDesign), Elman has taught at CEDAC – Centro de Diseño, Arquitectura yConstrucción in Honduras and the Higher Colleges of Technology in the UAE.

His thesis, TheRight to Play – Design as Social Change, reflects his long-standinginterest in using design to promote civic engagement and cultural identity.Since 1995, he has directed his own design consultancy studio, working onprojects across branding, editorial, packaging, and digital storytelling.

Elman’s creative work has been featured innumerous international exhibitions.

PRESENTATIONS/EXHIBITIONS

Exhibitor, Ibero-American Design Biennial(BID)
Madrid, Spain – 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018
Selected six times to showcase design projects at one of the most prestigiousplatforms for Latin American, Spanish, and Portuguese designers.

Exhibited Work: Aperturo
MUDE – Museum of Design and Fashion, Lisbon, Portugal (2017)
A featured product design piece exploring modularity and function, included inthe museum’s curated international design showcase.

Guest Speaker & Workshop Leader
Presented on topics such as Speculative Design, Design Pedagogy, and CulturallyResponsive Curriculum at international design forums and academicconferences.

“Agitadores de Conciencia – GráficaComprometida”, MataderoMadrid (Jul–Sep 2014)
Poster included in the "Committed Graphics" exhibition focused onsocial justice and visual communication.
http://www.mataderomadrid.org/ficha/3562/agitadores-de-conciencia.html

“Designers for Peace: United withUkraine”, GraphisInternational Poster Exhibition, San Diego–Tijuana (Nov 2022)
Participated with a poster on design as resistance and solidarity.
Watch the Exhibition Video(Elman appears at 24:02)

Other International Exhibitions

  • Ibero-American Art Photography Exhibition, Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi (2008)
  • Arslatina 07 – Being Latin in the 21st Century, Tecate, Mexico (2007)
  • Critical Sieges – 2nd Central American Emerging Art Exhibit, MADC Costa Rica (2006)

Guest Speaker & Workshop Leader
Presented on Speculative Design, Design Pedagogy, and CulturallyResponsive Curriculum at various international forums, conferences, andacademic institutions, including:

  • VI Design Teaching Congress, Universidad de Palermo, Buenos Aires (2015)
  • Pratt Institute Graduate Design Symposium (New York)
  • Latin American Design Network Webinars (Virtual)
Using Format