I was chosen from a pool of applications, to be a part of the Stormwater Collaborative Residency, an opportunity for up to 3 undergraduate student artists, an art historian, an art educator, and a graphic designer to share a studio space for one academic year. Selected students develop their practice in cooperation with each other over the course of the residency, culminating in a collaborative exhibition in March.
As Designer for the exhibition, I created promotional materials and exhibition signage. Additionally as an artist in the exhibit, I created illustration work to be a part of the exhibition.
All Consuming
Delving into the depths of contemporary consumption habits, the exhibition will feature an array of works including paintings, experimental film, photography, and digital illustrations. These mediums converge to ignite insightful conversations around the pervasive issues of digital media saturation, fast fashion, and urban waste, prompting viewers to reflect on their own consumption habits.
“All Consuming” aims to illuminate the broader implications of our consumption habits. In an era where overconsumption permeates our daily lives, leading to sensory overload, escapism, and mixed feelings of contentment, guilt, and overwhelm, this exhibition seeks to generate a moment of pause. Through heightened awareness, we strive to catalyze collective reflection and change.
Illustration work for the Exhibition
The theme of consumption resonates with me because of the way we put value on things. I wanted to approach this theme looking at my own consumption habits and examining them for better or worse. My work explores material consumption and excessive stimulus in digital media. My piece “Getting Ready”, depicts the overwhelming feeling of getting dressed in the morning and presents it to the audience. It doesn’t focus on fast fashion, though this is an element of consumerism. I get many of my clothes from thrift stores.
Instead I wanted to ask myself the question, why did I feel the need to own all of these things, even if they were cheap or “better” for the environment. I still play into the idea of needing more. The same idea is reflected in “My earrings”. This is a depiction of all of my earrings, displayed to the viewer, almost like evidence. They can come to their own conclusion on my spending habits. The third piece which I haven’t named is a direct reference to social media platforms, specifically TikTok, and the reduced attention span of our generation.
For You
My Earrings
Getting Ready
As for my approach to painting and colors, I knew I wanted my colors to be bold in response to the theme. I like the use of repetition in my work and combined with bright, intense colors, I wanted to create an overstimulating effect for the viewer. Things are indiscernable for the first second you look at it, and then the more you look, the more your eye discerns.
Exhibition Signage
In response to the theme and the residents' artwork, art historian Kaitlin Josey, wrote a short essay for the exhibition. I was then tasked with creating a wall graphic to be placed within the exhibition.
Supplemental promotional materials for digital use
Exhibition TV graphic
Exhibition email graphic
Exhibition social graphic
Workshop Social graphic
