Photo by Maximino Eslava
Namasté, I’m Shantanu Suman—a graphic designer from India currently working as an Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana (USA). In a career spanning over twenty-two years, I have worked as a Creative Director, documentary filmmaker, small business owner, and educator. I worked as an Art Director for over six years with several advertising agencies in India, including Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy & Mather, McCann Worldgroup, and Publicis Communications. In 2010, I moved to the United States to pursue my master’s degree at the University of Florida. During my stint in advertising, my work was recognized with multiple international advertising awards, including Cannes Print Silver Lion, D&AD in-book, Clio Bronze, and Asia Pacific Adfest. In addition, I was ranked 269th in the all-Asia creative ranking by Campaign Brief Asia 2011 magazine. In 2012, I collaborated with friends to make Horn Please, a documentary film based on Indian Truck Art, which has been screened at several film festivals in the United States and Europe.
In 2013, after graduating with an MFA in Graphic Design from the University of Florida, I co-founded Open Door Design Studio (ODDS). As a Creative Director at ODDS, I worked with clients ranging from small start-ups to international organizations. Some well-known clients included Kohler Co., The Wing Luke Museum in Seattle, Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami, Wired Magazine UK, and the Center for Craft, Creativity, and Design in Asheville. In addition, my design work has been featured in multiple print and digital publications, including Uneven Growth – Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Type Director’s Annual, Communication Arts Design/Advertising/Typography Annuals, Graphic Design USA, Print Magazine, LogoLounge, Typism, Architectural Digest, CNN Travel, Identity Designed, The Dieline, Designboom, Uppercase Magazine, and Creative Review.
In 2016, I joined Ball State University and founded Studio 165+, a design studio course where students work with regional, national, and international clients. I have presented at several academic and professional conferences, including AIGA, Collage Art Association, ESC, SECAC, UCDA, and Typewknd. Graphic Design USA magazine included me in a list of People to Watch in 2021 for my work as an educator and a designer. During the same year, I was recognized as an Indiana Campus Compact “Emerging Leader in Community Engagement” for my work within the Muncie community. Since moving to the United States, I have constantly drawn inspiration from my Indian roots to inform my design decisions. I use Hindi typography to make the Devanagari script relevant to the current design discourse.
Email // LinkedIn // Instagram // Studio 165+
EDUCATION
2013 Master of Fine Arts, Graphic Design // University of Florida // Gainesville, FL, USA
2004 Bachelor of Design, Graphic Design // Apeejay Institute of Design, Panjab University // New Delhi, India
EMPLOYMENT
2022–Present Associate Professor of Graphic Design // Ball State University // Muncie, IN
2016–2022 Assistant Professor of Graphic Design // Ball State University // Muncie, IN
2013–2016 Partner & Creative Director // Open Door Design Studio (ODDS) // Asheville, NC
2011–2013 Instructor of Record and Graphic Designer // University of Florida // Gainesville, FL
2008–2010 Senior Art Director // Publicis Communication // Mumbai, India
2007–2008 Senior Art Director // McCann Erickson Pvt. Ltd. // New Delhi, India
2006–2007 Art Director // Everest Y&R // New Delhi, India
2005–2006 Art Director // Ogilvy & Mather // New Delhi, India
2004–2005 Junior Art Director // Leo Burnett // New Delhi, India
ACADEMIC RECOGNITION
2024 College of Fine Arts Teaching & Mentoring Award // Ball State University
2022 College of Fine Arts Creative Endeavor Award // Ball State University
2021 Ball State University Disability Services Access Award // Ball State University
2020 Emerging Leader in Community Engagement Award // Indiana Campus Compact Summit, IN
AWARDS & ACCOLADES
INTERNATIONAL
2025 Graphis Poster Awards // Silver Award // Project: Blackbuck IPO Announcement posters
2024 Graphis Design Awards // Silver Award // Project: Ammi NYC
2024 Graphis Design Awards // Silver Award // Project: Non-Solo Sarang Vinyl Covers
2024 Graphis Poster Awards // Silver Award // Project: Humari Kahani Posters
2024 Communication Arts Design // Design finalist // Project: The Facing Project Book Covers
2023 Graphis Design Annual // Silver Award // Project: Chote Miya Restaurant Signage and Mural Design
2023 Graphis Design Annual // Silver Award // Project: Facing Social Justice in Sports Book Cover Design
2023 Graphis Design Annual // Honorable Mention // Project: Tania Said Consulting Identity Design
2023 Communication Arts Design // Design finalist // Project: Chote Miya Restaurant Signage and Mural Design
2022 Graphis Design Annual // Silver Award // Project: Mask Up Identity Design
2022 Graphis Design Annual // Honorable Mention // Project: ALO Family Counseling Identity Design
2021 Communication Arts Design 2021 // Design finalist // Project: Suman Baby Shower Thank You Card
2017 Logolounge Volume 10 // Projects: Science Art Cinema
2017 Logolounge Volume 10 // Projects: Bikes N Beans Logotype
2017 Logolounge Volume 10 // Projects: Bikes n Beans Identity Design
2017 Communication Arts Design // Design finalist // Project: Wicked Girls Book Cover Design
2017 Type Directors Club 63 // Project: Wired India Editorial Design
2017 Communication Arts Typography // Award of Excellence // Project: Wired Magazine Editorial Design
2016 Logolounge Volume 9 // Project: John Geci Glass Identity Design
2014 Communication Arts Design Annual 2014 // Award of Excellence // Project: “Reinventing the Toilet Challenge” Container Design
2011 Asia Pacific Advertising Festival (Adfest) // Finalist // Project: Cupid Condoms Poster // Phuket, Thailand
2011 Campaign Brief Asia Creative Ranking: 279
2010 Campaign Brief Asia Creative Ranking: 304
2010 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival // Silver Lion // Project: Cupid Condoms Poster // Cannes, France
2010 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival // Finalist // Project: Spit Stain Graffiti // Cannes, France
2010 Communication Arts Advertising Annual 51 // Award of Excellence // Project: Spit Stain Graffiti
2009 Design & Art Direction (D&AD) Awards // Inbook // Project: Spit Stain Graffiti // London, UK
2009 Clio Advertising Awards // Bronze // Project: Spit Stain Graffiti // New York, USA
2009 Spikes Asia Advertising Festival // Design Finalist // Project: Spit Stain Graffiti // Singapore
NATIONAL
2025 American Graphic Design Awards // Graphic Design USA // Project: Blackbuck IPO Announcement Posters
2024 American Package Design Awards // Graphic Design USA // Project: Non-Solo Sarang Vinyl Cover
2022 American Graphic Design Magazine // 6 Decades of GDUSA People to Watch
2021 American Graphic Design Awards // Graphic Design USA // Project: Hillbilly Queer Book Cover Design
2021 American Health + Wellness Design Awards // Graphic Design USA // Project: Keep Distance Mask
2020 American Graphic Design Awards // Graphic Design USA // Project: Facing Gun Violence Book Cover
2020 American Health + Wellness Design Award // Graphic Design USA // Project: Mask Up Muncie Identity Design
2020 American Web Design Award // Graphic Design USA // Project: The Great Adsby Promotional Material
2019 American Graphic Design Award // Graphic Design USA // Project: Laura and Shantanu Wedding Invite
2017 American Graphic Design Award // Graphic Design USA // Projects: Wired Magazine Editorial Design
2017 American Graphic Design Award // Graphic Design USA // Projects: Wicked Girls Book Cover Design
2016 American Graphic Design Award // Graphic Design USA // Project: Wordcamp Asheville 2015 Banner Designs
2016 Print Regional Design USA // South Region // Projects: WordCamp Asheville 2015 Banner Designs
2016 Print Regional Design USA // South Region // Projects: Ex-Change Exhibition Design
2016 Print Regional Design USA // South Region // Projects: PechaKucha Asheville Advertisements
2015 Print Regional Design USA // South Region // Project: Sweet Farm Sauerkraut Packaging Design
LOCAL
2020 American Advertising Federation (ADDY) Awards // Best of Show // Project: Laura and Shantanu Wedding Invite // East Central Indiana
2020 American Advertising Federation (ADDY) Awards // Gold // Project: Laura and Shantanu Wedding Invite // East Central Indiana
2015 American Advertising Federation (ADDY) Awards // Gold // Project: “Reinventing the Toilet Challenge” Container Design // Asheville, NC
2015 American Advertising Federation (ADDY) Awards // Special Judges Mention // Project: “Reinventing the Toilet Challenge” Container Design // Asheville, NC
LECTURES / PANEL DISCUSSIONS / PRESENTATIONS
INTERNATIONAL
2025 Building Better Neighborhoods: Collaborative Approaches to Engagement and Problem-Solving // Presentation // Event: Engagement Scholarship Consortium Conference // Roanoke, VA
2025 Hosted by Manipal University, Jaipur, India // Lecture // Virtual Event
2025 Chai Time with Apna Club // Panel Discussion // Host: South Asian Design Educators Alliance (SADEA) // Virtual
2024 International Design Leadership Summit // Panel Discussion // Host: AIGA San Diego Tijuana // San Diego, CA
2024 Reflections of Peace // Panel Discussion // Host: South Asian Design Educators Alliance (SADEA) // Virtual
2023 Dichotomizing Pluralities: Visual Cultures of the Indian Subcontinent // Presentation // Event: College Art Association (CAA) Annual Conference // NYC
2023 Baatein Instagram Live // Interview // Host National Institute of Design Student Organization // Ahmedabad (India) // Virtual Event
2021 Reframing the Indian Vernacular Typography // Presentation // Event: Typewknd // Virtual Event
2021 Browning the Design Canon // Presentation // Event: College Art Association (CAA) Annual Conference // Virtual Event
2021 Exploring Language, Politics and Typography // Panel Discussion // Host: Type Director’s Club // Virtual
2021 Black, Brown + Latinx Design Students and Educators: An Open Discussion // Panel Discussion // Host: Parsons School of Design // Virtual
2021 Book Launch + Panel: Black, Brown + Latinx Graphic Design Educators // Panel Discussion // Host: AIGA and Princeton Architectural Press // Virtual
2020 Black, Brown + Latinx Graphic Design Educators: Experiences and Reflections // Panel Discussion // Event: College Art Association Annual Conference (CAA), Chicago, IL
2018 Accessible Design for Historic Environments // Presentation // Event: College Art Association (CAA) Annual Conference // Los Angeles, CA
NATIONAL
2026 CrossPlatform Graphic Design Lecture Series // Presentation // Hosted by Illinois State University // Virtual Event
2025 Empowering Communities Through Student-led Design // Presentation // HEvent: Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC): Flux/Flow // Cincinnati, OH
2025 Fostering Growth: How Mindful Mentorship Transforms Design Students and Alumni // Presentation // Event: University & College Designers Association (UCDA) Design Education Summit: Mindful // UNC, Charlotte, NC
2024 Shifting Paradigms: Amplifying South Asian Perspectives in Decolonial Discourse // Presentation // Event: AIGA Design Conference // Virtual Event
2024 Centered: People and Ideas Diversifying Design // Panel Discussion // Event: AIGA Design Conference // Virtual Event
2023 Centered: People and Ideas Diversifying Design Book Release // Panel Discussion // Hosted by AIGA Design Educators Community // Virtual Event
2023 Building Better Neighborhoods: Identity Rebranding and Marketing Campaign // Presentation // Event: Innovation, Meaning, and Communication Conference // Wilmington, NC
2022 Seeking Allyship to Redefine Agency for International Faculty and Student Success // Panel Discussion // Event: University & College Designers Association (UCDA) Design Education Summit: Agency // Johnson City, Tennessee
2022 Chai Time: Brown Identity, Where Do We Fit? // Panel Discussion // Hosted by South Asian Design Educators Alliance (SADEA) // Virtual Event
2022 University of Florida Interdisciplinary Quest Course: Plants and Oil // Lecture // Hosted by University of Florida, School of Art + Art History // Virtual Event
2020 Educating Future Designers about Accessibility // Presentation // Event: Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC) // Virtual Event
2019 Designing Visual Identities for Local Neighborhoods // Presentation // Event: Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC) // Chattanooga, TN
2019 Building Better Neighborhoods Visual Identity Project // Presentation // Event: University & College Designers Association (UCDA) Design Educators Conference// Johnson City, TN
2018 Community Engagement with an Academic Experience // Presentation // Event: Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC) // Birmingham, AL
REGIONAL
2026 First Draft Showcase: Chote Miya: Indian Street Food Restaurant in Chelsea Market, NYC // Presentation // Event: Indy Design Week // Indianapolis, IN
2026 From Classroom to Community: Student Collaboration for Civic and Social Impact // Presentation // Event: Mid-America College Art Association Conference // Virtual Event
2025 College of Fine Arts Student Success Celebration // Keynote Speaker // Hosted by College of Fine Arts // Ball State University
2024 University Libraries Virtual Lunch and Learn // Presentation // Hosted by Ball State University Libraries // Virtual Event
2023 Creatives in Color // Presentation // Hosted by AIGA Indy // Draft Indianapolis, IN
2021 Ask Me Anything with Kelly Walters & Shantanu Suman // Panel Discussion // Hosted by AIGA Indianapolis // Virtual Event
2021 The Creative Use of Difference – The Art of Politics // Panel Discussion // Hosted by Muncie Arts and Culture Council & PlySpace // Virtual Event
2020 Passion Projects Are a Privilege // Presentation // Event: AIGA Midwest Design Week // Virtual Event
2016 Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship Lecture Series // Panel Discussion // Hosted by University of Alabama // Birmingham, AL
EXHIBITIONS / SHOWS
INTERNATIONAL
2025 Typography Day Conference exhibition // Invitational Group Show // Project: Posters for Peace // IIT Mumbai, India
2024 Indianama: Lost and Found // Juried Group Show // Project: Doordarshan // Mumbai, India
2021 Indernet by Masala Movement // Invitational Group Show // Projects: Swarakshara and Keep Distance Poster // Cologne, Germany
2021 Art Fights Covid // Invitational Group Show // Project: Keep Distance Poster // Virtual Event
2020 Indianama 4th Edition // Juried Group Show // Project: Cinema, Censor, and Politics // New Delhi, India
2018 Reject Exhibit by Design Fabric // Juried Group Show // Project: Horn Please Poster // Lower Parel, Mumbai, India
2018 Indianama 2nd Edition // Juried Group Show // Project: A Million Tongues // London Design Festival, UK
2018 Indianama 2nd Edition // Juried Group Show // Project: A Million Tongues // New York City, USA
2018 Indianama 2nd Edition // Juried Group Show // Project: A Million Tongues // Jerusalem Design Week, Jerusalem
2018 India Inked! // Invitational Group Show // Projects: Use Rubber at Night Playing Cards, Buri Nazar Waale Screenprint Posters, Child Beer Available Here Screenprint Posters // Edmonton, Canada
2017–18 Type Directors Club 63 (Two-year traveling exhibit // Juried Group Show // Project: Wired Magazine Editorial Design // United States, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
2017 Indianama 2nd Edition // Juried Group Show // Project: A Million Tongues // New Delhi, India
2017 Gifixibit by Design Fabric // Invitational Group Show // Projects: G // Mumbai, India
2017 India Inked! // Invitational Group Show // Projects: Use Rubber at Night Playing Cards, Buri Nazar Waale Screenprint Posters, Child Beer Available Here Screenprint Posters // Milwaukee, USA
2017 India Inked! // Invitational Group Show // Projects: Use Rubber at Night Playing Cards, Buri Nazar Waale Screenprint Posters, Child Beer Available Here Screenprint Posters // Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
2016 “This is India” Pavilion // Invitational Group Show // Projects: Taxi Fabric Textile Designs Installation // London Design Fair, UK
2016 Indianama 1st Edition, // Juried Group Show // Project: Bhaskar // New Delhi, India
2016 Launching Taxi Fabric for You // Invitational Group Show // Projects: Taxi Fabric Textile Designs // Mumbai, India
NATIONAL
2022 TL;DR Zine Archive & Exhibition // Juried Group Show // Project: Deromanagarize Hindi // Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts // Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO
2016 Project Passion 2016 // Juried Group Show // Project: Binder Clip Calendar // Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN
2015 Project Passion 2015 // Juried Group Show // Project: Use Rubber at Night // Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN
REGIONAL / LOCAL
2025 School of Art Faculty Biennial Exhibition // Group Show // Projects: Everything is Figure-out-able, What a Month This Week Has Been, and A Sense of Belonging // Ball State University
2025 Creatives in Color Art Show // Invitational Group Show // Projects: Everything is Figure-out-able, What a Month This Week Has Been, and A Sense of Belonging // AIGA Indianapolis
2023 School of Art Faculty Biennial Exhibition // Group Show // Project: Chote Miya Mural Design // Ball State University
2021 School of Art Faculty Triennial Exhibition // Group Show // Project: Swarakshara // Ball State University
2020 First Thursday // Project: Quarantine Blues // Virtual
2019 October Artswalk Show // Solo Show // Project: Jigyasa Prints // Savage’s Ale House, Muncie, IN
2019 School of Art Faculty Biennial Exhibition // Group Show // Projects: Wired India Handpainted Sign and Indianama Poster // Ball State University 2017 October Artswalk Show // Solo Show // Project: A Million Tongues Poster Series // Savage’s Ale House, Muncie, IN
2017 Monkey Thunder 7 // Invitational Group Show // Project: Use Rubber at Night // Gordy Fine Art & Framing Company, Muncie, IN
2017 Fourth Annual Summer Invitational // Group Show // Projects: Horn Please Musical Boxes, Child Beer Screenprint Posters, and the 3D-Printed Truck // Gordy Fine Art & Framing Company, Muncie, IN
2017 School of Art Faculty Biennial Exhibition // Group Show // Project: Horn Please Poster // Ball State University
PRINT PUBLICATIONS
ESSAYS / INTERVIEWS / DESIGN PROJECTS / RESEARCH REFERENCE
2025 Sewak, Aabha // Interview // Elle India: The Art Issue, From Bazaars to Billboards // 148–149 // Mumbai & New Delhi: Ogaan Media Pvt. Ltd.
2025 Interview // OneCreative Mentorship Program Connects Ball State Graphic Design Students with Alumni // Ball State Magazine // Muncie, IN
2024 Chaudhry, Riddhi // Research Reference // Chakor- A Typeface Inspired by The Phulkari and Truck Art of Punjab // 323–338 // Indore, India: ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts
2024 Falla, Dominique // Project: LOV3 // Typism Book Ten // New Brighton, Australia: Finesse Press
2023 Falla, Dominique // Project: Hustle Ka Fasal // Typism Book Nine // New Brighton, Australia: Finesse Press
2023 Sales, Kaleena // Essay // Centered: People and Ideas Diversifying Design // 92–103 // New York: Princeton Architectural Press
2023 Criss, Jennifer // Interview // Strengthening Neighborhoods // Project: Muncie Neighborhoods Visual Identity Design // Ball State University Alumni Magazine // Muncie, IN
2022 Falla, Dominique // Project: Take a Chill Pill // Typism Book Nine // New Brighton, Australia: Finesse Press
2021 Kaye, Gordon // Interview // 2021 People to Watch // Graphic Design USA // 58 // Kaye Publishing Corporation
2021 Falla, Dominique // Project: Mask Up // Typism Book Seven // New Brighton, Australia: Finesse Press
2021 Walters, Kelly // Interview // Black, Brown + Latinx Design Educators: Conversations on Design and Race // 92–103 // New York: Princeton Architectural Press
2020 Designers in Mumbai Create Taxi Fabrics That Tell Stories from Their Cities // Research Reference // National Geographic Learning, a division of Cengage Learning, n.d.
2019 Sharma, Manoj // Research Reference // Desi Sign Painters Get Global Patrons // Hindustan Times (Delhi)
2019 Shah, Manasi // Research Reference // Slogan, Wagon. Art, Cart. // The Telegraph (Calcutta)
2019–2029 Quote: Horn Please documentary // Cornelsen Publishing House GmbH // Germany, Switzerland, Austria
2018 Falla, Dominique // Project: Interaction Typography // Typism Book Four // New Brighton, Australia: Finesse Press
2016 Sharma, Shradha // Project: Wired India Type Design // Wired UK Edition, Condé Nast Publication
2016 Falla, Dominique // Project: Horn Please Typography // Typism Book Three // New Brighton, Australia: Finesse Press
2016 Moving Works of Art // Interview and Research Reference// Oiltanking Connections 3, 28th ed., 3 // 22–23 // Hamburg: Oiltanking GmBH
2014 Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Issues in Contemporary Architecture series // Project: “Reinventing the Toilet Challenge” Container Design // Uneven Growth: Tactical Urbanisms for Expanding Megacities // Pg 128
2014 Neal, Dale // Asheville Designer Documents Truck Art of Native India // Interview and Project: Horn Please Documentary Film // Asheville Citizen Times // Asheville, NC
2013 Francischine, Tyler // Truck Art Comes to Life in Documentary Screening at UF // Interview and Project: Horn Please Documentary Film // Gainesville Sun (Gainesville, FL)
ONLINE PRESS
INTERVIEWS / DESIGN PROJECTS / RESEARCH REFERENCE
2019 Burns, Sam // How Beautiful Trucks Can Bring Home, Safety, and Tradition to the Road! // Design Project and Research Reference // Ever Widening Circles // https://bit.ly/3BC0400
2019 Vox // India’s Trucks Are Works of Art // Research Reference // YouTube, Vox.com // https://bit.ly/2VakHzG
2019 Shah, Manasi // Horn Please: The Kitschy World of Truck Art // Research Reference // Telegraph India // https://bit.ly/3y6Q1he
2018 Netflix // The Creative Indians (Taxi Fabric – Public Art Project) // Design Project: Taxi Fabric: Keep Distance // Season 3 Ep. 10, The Creative Indians
2016 Sinner, Lauren // Everything Has Been Material for Scissors to Shape // Design Project //Surface Design Association // https://bit.ly/3eSudhE
2016 Staff, AD // Horn Please, a Short Film, Encapsulates Various Aspects of Truck Art in India // Design Project: Horn Please Documentary // Architectural Digest // https://bit.ly/3i2pvzO
2015 McKenzie, Sheena // Pimp My Ride: The Psychedelic World of Indian Truck Art // Research Reference // CNN Travel // https://cnn.it/2UJ84LR
2014 Gadanho, Pedro // Uneven Growth–Tactical Urbanisms for Expanding Megacities // Design Project: “Reinventing the Toilet Challenge” Container Design // Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), NYC // https://mo.ma/3Le2eXx
2014 Caltech + Kohler Develop Mobile Restroom as Self-sufficient Container // Design Project: “Reinventing the Toilet Challenge” Container Design // Designboom // https://bit.ly/3wD6RWY
2014 Neal, Dale // Asheville Designer Documents Truck Art of Native India // Design Project: Horn Please Documentary // Asheville Citizen Times // https://bit.ly/3823MFS