La History of graphic design in Chile Graphic design is beginning to occupy the place it deserves within the academic and cultural sphere, thanks to research that highlights its evolution, its key figures, and its close relationship with the land. One of the most recent initiatives in this direction has been the publication of the book "History of Graphic Design in Chile," which has sparked a broad debate about how the country's visual identity has been shaped.
In this context, the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (PUCV) It has become a key space for articulating reflection, memory, and contemporary practice. The presentation of the new expanded edition of Pedro Álvarez's book served not only to disseminate the work, but also to highlight Valparaíso's central role in the development of Chilean graphic arts and its connection to long-standing social, cultural, and technological processes.
A reference work on the history of graphic design in Chile
The book “History of Graphic Design in Chile”Written by researcher and designer Pedro Álvarez, this book has become a key reference for understanding the development of the design field in the country. The publication takes a primarily chronological approach, organizing materials, works, and authors, and establishing graphic design as a legitimate and necessary object of study within the humanities and arts.
The work examines areas such as Editorial design, advertising graphics, and corporate identityconnecting them with the historical changes that Chile has undergone at different times. From the first graphic experiences linked to the printing press and the press of the 19th century, to contemporary branding and communication projects, the book proposes a broad view that integrates both visual production and the context in which it arises.
One of the most outstanding contributions of the volume is the systematization of materials and archives These materials were scattered, often remaining only in personal collections, specialized libraries, or understudied archives. By bringing together this set of references, the publication opens the door to future research that delves deeper into specific periods, authors, or regions.
According to what was stated during the presentation, the book is not limited to a mere compilation of data, but proposes a A coherent narrative about the evolution of graphic design in the country. This allows us to observe how images, visual languages, and communication strategies have interacted with political, economic, and cultural transformations in different eras.
Valparaíso as the axis of the Chilean graphic imagination
In the activity carried out at PUCV, special emphasis was placed on the historical role of Valparaíso as the nerve center of national graphic design. The port city, marked by its commercial activity, its social diversity and its intense cultural life, has been throughout the 19th and 20th centuries a laboratory of forms, typography, posters and publications that have helped to define the visual identity of the country.
During the talk, it was highlighted that Valparaíso functioned as a “highly relevant graphic center”Especially in the 19th and early 20th centuries, thanks to the presence of printing presses, publishing houses, and workshops linked to the press and advertising. This productive network gave rise to a large amount of graphic material, from commercial advertisements to street posters, which today constitute a visual heritage of enormous value.
Paula Espina, head of the Illustration and Digital Animation program at PUCV, emphasized the importance of understanding the “historical imaginary of Valparaíso” as an archive within the history of graphic design in Chile. This territorial approach allows us to observe how the city and the region have represented themselves through their images, and how these have influenced the way the country is perceived, both internally and externally.
This emphasis on the local context connects with debates that also take place in Spain and other European countrieswhere the importance of studying design from the perspective of specific territories, and not just from large urban centers, has long been emphasized. In this sense, the case of Valparaíso resonates with European port cities that have developed their own graphic imagery linked to commerce, tourism, or cultural life, and which are now being researched as part of visual heritage.
For Pedro Álvarez, the analysis of Valparaíso allows us to understand how a city can become a circulation node of visual languagesThis perspective aligns with lines of research in Europe that have focused on the relationship between design and territory, finding a parallel here on the Chilean coast.
A presentation with an academic and territorial focus
The Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso organized the presentation of the work in the auditorium of the Interdisciplinary Professional Training Program (PIFP)bringing together students, academics, and the general public interested in the history of design and visual culture. The session combined the author's keynote address with expert commentary and a final open discussion.
The program director, Luis VillarroelHe emphasized the educational nature of the event, noting that reviewing decades of design and illustration history allows for an understanding of how images have reflected and even driven social, cultural, and commercial changes. For the university community, this type of activity helps connect theory with practice and situate current graphic production within a broader historical context.
Villarroel also emphasized that the presentation of the new expanded edition of the book constitutes an instance of high cultural and educational valueThis is especially relevant for fields like Illustration, which directly engage with the aesthetic and communicative processes examined in the artwork. This connection between visual arts training and research into its history is a line of inquiry that is also gaining momentum in European design schools.
Along with the author's presentation, the day included comments from the Designer and editor Jenny Abud and the graphic designer Francisco Galvezwho contributed complementary perspectives from professional practice and publishing. Their reflections helped to situate the book within the broader landscape of Chilean graphic production and to highlight the dialogue between academic research and the craft of design.
The activity, aimed at both university community as well as external people Those interested in the topic found it to be a meeting place for generations and disciplines. This type of dynamic is also observed in European universities and cultural centers, where book presentations on the history of design often lead to roundtables, workshops, and collaborative projects that broaden the scope of the research.
Graphic design, research and training of new generations
One of the most relevant aspects of Pedro Álvarez's book is his vocation to open new avenues of study For students and specialists. The author explained that the work stems from research he began independently at age 21, at a time when design research was practically nonexistent as a consolidated field in Chile. This point connects with problems also experienced in Spain and other European countries, where design was slow to gain recognition as an academic discipline with its own weight.
Álvarez insisted that the text does not intend to offer a closed version of the History of graphic design in Chilebut rather to propose multiple possible “directions” for future research. Among them, he mentioned the enormous graphic heritage existing in regions like Valparaíso, where materials spanning more than a century of history are preserved and which have not yet been explored in depth by academia.
The publication is therefore presented as an invitation for new generations of designers, illustrators, and researchers to dare to develop own projects from the early stages of their training. This idea resonates with initiatives present in European design schools that promote applied research, the recovery of local archives, and the creation of projects that link history, memory, and visual experimentation.
From the students' perspective, the presentation was valued as an opportunity to direct learning with role models from the area. Attendees of the Illustration program at PUCV highlighted the opportunity to engage in face-to-face dialogue with authors they usually know through texts or classes, ask questions, and obtain guidance for their own academic and professional concerns.
This interaction between students, teachers, and researchers reinforces an educational model that prioritizes meaningful learning experiencewhere disciplinary knowledge is articulated with critical reflection and connection to the environment. A similar approach is observed in European programs that integrate design history seminars, fieldwork in archives, and publishing projects as part of comprehensive training in arts and visual communication.
The university as a space for graphic memory and creative projection
PUCV, through initiatives such as this presentation, positions itself as a meeting space for the creative industries and reflection on visual culture. The link between teaching, research, and engagement with the community becomes especially visible when addressing topics such as the history of graphic design, which crosses boundaries between art, communication, technology, and social history.
The activity is part of the University Educational ModelThis approach places the individual at the center of the educational process and promotes learning experiences that go beyond the traditional classroom. In this context, visits from researchers, book presentations, and the analysis of specific design cases are understood as part of an excellent education that prepares students to critically reflect on their own practice.
Through these types of initiatives, the relationship between graphic memory and contemporary visual productionOn the one hand, archives, authors, and historical processes are recovered and given visibility; on the other hand, those who are currently creating images, identities, and campaigns are encouraged to do so with an awareness of the tradition in which they are inscribed and the social impact they can have.
This dialogue between past and present is also observed in many European design schools and faculties, where projects are developed that combine the A historical review of design combined with contemporary experimentationThe Chilean experience, with Valparaíso as a case study, adds to that global map of initiatives that seek to understand how the history of design can serve as a tool to imagine futures that are more conscious and connected to the context.
The presentation of “History of Graphic Design in Chile” in Valparaíso summarizes several trends that are currently shaping the study of design internationally: revaluation of graphic heritage, territorial approach, commitment to research and training of new critical generationsBy positioning the port city as a living archive of images and visual narratives, and by integrating students, academics, and professionals in the same space for dialogue, the experience shows how the history of design can cease to be a niche subject and become a shared tool for better understanding culture and projecting new ways of creating.