Duvel-SUYT Art Glass Design Competition: Los Angeles Winner

A kulturspace production, this special collaboration between Duvel USA and ShowUsYourType invited graphic designers and artists worldwide to submit designs depicting the name of a selected city using easily identifiable local iconography and graphic elements. The 6-month American tour started in New York City, with a roadtrip to Chicago, making a pitstop in Miami, and coming to a close on the West Coast in Los Angeles. The winning designs will be featured on Duvel’s iconic tulip glass as well as a series of promotional premium items such as posters, t-shirts, and coasters.

The final series of this competition ran from April 15 to May 15, bringing in a colourful series of LA submissions ranging from retro to street art illustrations, Hollywood glitz to whimsical concepts. After careful deliberation and review, Duvel USA has selected Gabriel Pulpo’s vividly hypnotic design that simulates wings in motion.

The Winning Design: LA in (Abstract) Movement

“A big congratulations to everyone for sending in their wonderful creations! It was difficult to pick a winner from the brilliant submissions we received, but in the end we selected this thoughtfully layered interpretation as the winning design. The vivid red lines complement the iconic “D” on our glass beautifully, giving the art glass a distinctive Hollywood vibe when filled with the bright effervescence of the Duvel Belgian golden ale. I welcome our LA-based consumers to keep an eye out for this unique art glass at their favourite establishments for a taste of this work of art.” - Brian Reames, Director of Import Marketing, Duvel USA

The Design Inspiration

Gabriel Pulpo describes his design as an abstraction of wings inspired by the name Los Angeles: the City of Angels. As an artist who specializes in artworks using geometry and lines, his design takes the form of an abstract optical effect that depicts LA’s dynamic energy and constantly evolving creative landscape – a city in constant movement.

About the Designer

A Mexican graphic designer with an MA in Typeface Design, Gabriel Pulpo also teaches design and typography at a university in Mexico City. An award-winning designer whose work has been showcased in numerous countries including Japan, India, Germany, and Italy, Gabriel’s portfolio ranges from visual identity projects to interior design. He also produces typography t-shirts and a variety of graphic design projects under his eponymous brand, ‘Pulpo’. @gabriel_pulpo

Paying It Forward

In addition to receiving a pack of Duvel promotional premium items featuring his design, Gabriel also gets to direct a $500 donation to an LA charity of his choice, made in his name via the kulturspace Foundation.

He has chosen to benefit KIND: the leading national organization that protects unaccompanied children who enter the US immigration system alone, working to ensure that no child appears in court without an attorney. He feels that their work is instrumental in supporting children affected by these traumatizing separations and feels passionately about supporting their efforts.

Thank You and Well Done to All

A hearty congratulations to Gabriel Pulpo on his mesmerising portrayal of LA, and a huge thank you to all the designers and artists who’ve joined us on this thrilling adventure that’s taken us to New York, Chicago, Miami, and Los Angeles. It was fascinating to experience those cities through your unique perspectives. Keep inspiring us with your work; it matters.

A Collaboration of Synergy

Duvel is far more than just a passion for beer. It is a real passion for good taste. Renowned as a strong Belgian golden ale, brewed in Belgium and exported to more than forty countries, Duvel has always had a special affinity for contemporary art, design, and architecture. This is clearly evident from their active collaboration with international artists for the Duvel Collection, as well as the different art initiatives they support.

ShowUsYourType — a project that combines typography, travel, and cities — started as a creative platform for designers to share their talents and explore cities from a different perspective. It has since grown into an international community with a devoted audience of over 67,000 followers on Instagram.

Driven by its collaborative and organic DNA, kulturspace spearheads and produces cultural and creative projects under three divisions: the Agency, the Space, and the Foundation. The Agency is an LA & Berlin-based creative think tank + design and production collective; The Space (coming soon in LA) will offer inspiring cultural content and experiences to engage the public on retail and creative concepts; and The kulturspace Foundation – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organisation – uses arts and culture to foster social progress.