OPEN THE PORTFOLIO OF REJECTED DESIGNS IN THE ONLINE EXHIBITION ‘OUTTAKES: DEAR B, YOU WERE BRILLIANT!’ THAT WILL TAKE YOU THROUGH THE TIMING OF THE THINKING, THE TIMING OF THE CHOICES, AND THE TIMING OF THE MISTAKES, ALONG WITH THE REASONS WHY THOSE WORKS WERE NOT SELECTED
TEXT: PIYAPONG BHUMICHITRA
IMAGE & VIDEO COURTESY OF OUTTAKES
(For Thai, press here)
For design practitioners, it’s hardly unusual to present proposals that never make it past a client’s selection. But that, in itself, is not the point. What feels far more meaningful is seeing an exhibition like OUTTAKES come to life, for it’s an achievement born in an age when the prevailing sentiment seems to be ‘just focus on survival first.’ Against such odds, two studios from opposite ends of Asia, South Korea and Thailand, joined forces to create something that was neither commercial nor charitable, yet managed to exist outside the demands of their everyday practice.
Jae-yong Jang, Director of VEIG
In early 2025, Jay, founder of the Korean graphic design studio VEIG, traveled to Bangkok to attend Bangkok Design Week 2025. The visit was coordinated by Hyunkyung Lee, author of Thai Stationery Shops Near Me, who also facilitated meetings and conversations with two Thai graphic design studios, Pink Blue Black & Orange (PBB&O) and Farmgroup, for an exchange of experiences and perspectives.
The conversation that day naturally revolved around their shared experiences as design studios, from the way each of them worked to the kinds of projects they handled, their varying scales and clients, and the many challenges that arose from beginning to end. They all agreed that every studio, every project, and every country had its own distinct way of thinking and working, each marked by its particular strengths. What proved even more interesting, however, was the realization that clients, too, differ from one country and project to another in how they think, make decisions, and justify those decisions. Yet, the reasoning behind each approach was equally sound. By the end of the discussion, everyone agreed that what they had shared that day shouldn’t end there. They decided to create something together, without knowing what form it would take, only that it had to happen.
Out: Tanino / VEIG
Not long after returning to Korea, Jay sent an exhibition proposal to the group chat. His idea took shape amid numerous constraints: the instability caused by shifting U.S. tax policies, the unease of regional and border conflicts, among other considerations. He proposed an exhibition centered on unselected works. They were projects that had reached the final round but never made it to production, ideas that were lost not through failure but through choice. The beauty of the concept was that it didn’t add to anyone’s workload, since each studio already had archives of presentations, visuals, and materials once prepared for their clients.
The exhibition OUTTAKES exists entirely in the digital realm, presented on a dedicated website and promoted through social media channels. The online showcase will remain accessible for around a year. Upon entering the site, visitors are greeted by a desktop-style homepage featuring a cluster of folders arranged closely together. Each folder bears the name of a participating studio. At first glance, one might expect to access each project simply by clicking on a folder, but that’s not the case. Hovering the cursor over them only triggers an animated character to appear. It’s a playful figure derived from the letter B, complete with eyes and shifting expressions. It seems to hint that what lies within are ‘B works,’ not the ‘A works’ that were chosen. Scrolling down reveals a welcome message and an introduction to the exhibition, followed by an entrance button. Clicking through leads to a page introducing the four participating design teams. Accessing the hamburger menu brings up the Exhibition section, where the folders reappear, this time neatly arranged and labeled with the titles of each project. Clicking on any folder finally opens the works selected for display.
Out: Rajadamnern / FARMGROUP
Out: Omoff / VEIG
Take: Omoff / VEIG
Visitors to OUTTAKES will find the unselected works displayed side by side with the chosen ones, followed by the concepts, design origins, key ideas, sketches, and the progression of development leading to the final design. Each project is presented in as much detail as if it had been the winning entry, complete with examples of how it would have been applied across various media. Only afterward does the exhibition introduce the selected design, concluding with an explanation of why one was chosen over the other. This is where the exhibition’s true intrigue lies: in revealing the act of selection itself, encompassing the decisions made and unmade across different briefs, industries, circumstances, design approaches, and business strategies of the time. Some works were chosen because they were easier to execute and adapt. Others captured the brand’s personality and attitude more precisely. Some simply stood out for their freshness, boldness, or originality. The reasons behind each decision are as varied as they are telling.
Out: MAGLA / PinkBlueBlack&Orange
For graphic design nerds, enjoying the exhibition is practically effortless. But even for those outside the field, from marketing and business development professionals to entrepreneurs and policymakers, OUTTAKES serves as an online archive: a record of thought processes and decision-making rationales shared by clients, executives, and organizations in both South Korea and Thailand. Its curatorial intent is to present a comprehensive view that spans the full spectrum of graphic design practice across scales, industries, and perspectives.
Out: EXPO 2028 Phuket / PinkBlueBlack&Orange
Take: EXPO 2028 Phuket / PinkBlueBlack&Orange
Out: EXPO 2028 Phuket / PinkBlueBlack&Orange
The first phase of OUTTAKES will run until October next year. But while the online exhibition is still live, the team is already thinking about taking it offline with a physical show during Bangkok Design Week 2026 early next year. After that, the next stop will be South Korea.
In the near future, OUTTAKES plans to evolve from a one-year online exhibition into an open platform or creative community where designers from anywhere can share their own ‘B works.’ For now, though, stay in the present and explore the exhibition online. We guarantee it’ll be worth your bandwidth.
Out: Bangkok Design Week 2025 / PinkBlueBlack&Orange
Take: Bangkok Design Week 2025 / PinkBlueBlack&Orange
OUTTAKES: Dear B, You were Brilliant! runs from September 25, 2025, to October 2, 2026, is a collaboration between Thai and Korean designers including VEIG (Seoul), PBB&O (Bangkok), Farmgroup (Bangkok), and Hann (Seoul + Bangkok).