These projects were based on reading promps for a printing class that taught me how to use a risograph.

Poster Series


The speech The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action by Audre Lorde was the main inspiration behind this project. The author pushes the reader to reflect on the things they did not have words for or had been silent about. I was reminded of the experience my brothers and I had when we left for boarding school. Something I did not have the words for at the time were feelings of separation of abandonment I had when my older brother, and then eventually myself, left home for high school. I did not recognize that this was the last time me and my brothers would live together until years after. Despite my family unit being separated and feeling despondent about the situation, I never said anything meaningful or heartfelt to my brother when he left because I was only 13 and did not know how to verbalize how I felt. This experience inspired me to make two posters that would be statements to my older brother when he left and my younger brother when I left.

For the subject of the poster I chose to use statues of the biblical figures my brother and I were named after: Andrew the Apostle and Archangel Gabriel. This was significant because during my childhood our parents would use biblical stories to teach us how to get along. I associate parables and biblical teachings with how I treat my brothers, so using the figures we were named after represented the biblical morals our brotherly relationship grew from.

2014

Risograph 11” x 17”

I decided to title the posters after the years these events took place: 2014 for my older brother leaving and 2016 for when I left. For the 2014 series I focused on the idea that this was the first time me and my siblings would not live together. It was a breaking up of a trio that I had been a part of my entire life, and I regret how I never told my older brother how much his presence would be missed. It was only after experiencing his absence that I was able to truly appreciate the time we spent together growing up.

2016


Risograph 11” x 17”

For the 2016 series I wanted to shift the focus to my little brother. Despite knowing how hard it had been on me and him when my older brother left, I still made the choice to leave home. Leaving home for an educational opportunity and missing out on 3 years of my little brother growing up is a decision I still question to this day. I never said anything along the lines of an apology for what I did, but I always felt like I owed him one. This poster served as a physical “I’m sorry” to my brother.


Riso Animation


The animation project was based on Roland Barthes’s “Wrestling” essay from Mythologies. Students were asked to think of modern myths in their lives as Barthes describes them in his essay. When thinking of the prevalent social value systems in my life that have created modern myths, I immediately thought of my position in my academic/professional career. I made an incredibly difficult decision when I switched from a biology major with thoughts of medical school to a design major in the second semester of my junior year. This was a change I grappled with for a while because I thought I had invested too much time into biology, despite it having lost its allure to me. I had been pursuing a design minor at the same time, but I never considered a career in design because I thought it was too late for me. It was not until I had a handful of long talks with various mentors in my life that I understood I should not use my life doing what I think will be successful, rather what I enjoy. With that I decided I was going to become a design student and this experience made me reconsider how I had been viewing my progression as a person. I realized I was too progress oriented and was constantly focusing on the areas I might be lacking compared to my peers; this made me extremely unhappy as a student and would have likely lead to a very unfulfilling career. This personal discovery and shift of values I experienced during my major change became my modern myth.

Original Blender Animation



The goal of the animation would be to convey that, although at times one can feel they must constantly be getting an edge above their peers in order to find success, life does not inherently reward the quick; instead we should spend the limited time we have pursuing something that gives us satisfaction. I decided on the phrase “Go your own speed, life isn’t a race” to represent this sentiment. I chose the animation theme to be futuristic, utilizing chrome and reflective surfaces to represent that this myth speculates about the future. I used a human walking to represent the idea of personal, steady progress, while also employing varying speeds in the animation, namley, the camera track, walking pace and text animation. I wanted to communicate that slow and steady progress is still positive and people should not be dismayed if their life seems to advance differently than their peers.

Printed Animation