UC Surabaya Students Introduce Ways to Manage Emotions Through Music and Design
June 12, 2026
Dozens of students from the Visual Communication Design (VCD) program at Ciputra University (UC) in Surabaya introduced ways to manage emotions through visual art and music showcased in the “Feel the Emotion: Of the Sound, Image, & Synesthesia” program.
The students presented four original songs they composed themselves. Each student wrote the lyrics, composed the music, and then translated the meaning and atmosphere of the song into various visual media—such as album covers, posters, photography, illustrations, and interconnected visual identities.
Pandu R. Utomo, a VCD lecturer at UC Surabaya, explained that the project was designed to broaden students’ perspectives on design as a medium capable of reaching beyond mere sight.
“Good design isn’t just a feast for the eyes. Design can engage the other senses, interact with sound, touch, and taste, create impressions, stimulate the mind, and evoke emotions. Through this project, students learn how an experience can be translated into meaningful visual communication,” he said on Friday (June 16, 2026).
He explained that this approach was adopted to remain relevant in today’s era, as the global creative industry is shifting toward more immersive and multisensory experiences.
In this program, he explained that designers are not only expected to produce aesthetically pleasing work but also to build an emotional connection with their audience.
“This phenomenon is reflected in the students’ works, which address various issues close to the lives of Generation Z—ranging from the search for identity, family and friendship relationships, loss, and hope, to reflections on everyday experiences,” he said.
Benaya Christofer F, the exhibition’s chairperson, said that the exhibition’s concept was inspired by synesthesia, a phenomenon that describes connections between the senses—such as seeing colors when hearing certain sounds.
“Usually, music is only heard. In this exhibition, we’re trying to translate music into a visual experience that can be seen and felt. Each work has a different story, atmosphere, and emotion based on the creator’s experience,” he said.
He added that all the works on display were the result of a fairly lengthy creative process. The students did not merely design visuals; they first composed a song as the primary foundation before developing a visual concept that aligned with the message they wished to convey.
The organizers hope that, in addition to serving as a space to appreciate the students’ work, the exhibition can also demonstrate how the field of visual communication design is increasingly moving toward a more human-centered approach.
“Design work no longer serves merely to convey information; rather, it has become a medium for building experiences, sparking reflection, and fostering deeper emotional connections,” he emphasized. (ant/ris/iss)