Design is Change is an ongoing project and group made up of students acting as 'citizen designers', teaming up with non-profit organizations or charities to donate original works for worthy causes.
During my participation as a student designer in this project I represented Defense for Children International (DCI); this organization works to ensure that children’s civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights are preserved regardless of nationality or legal standing.
During my participation as a student designer in this project I represented Defense for Children International (DCI); this organization works to ensure that children’s civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights are preserved regardless of nationality or legal standing.
Research and Planning
I began this project with research of what I found to be some of the most pertinent issues globally—children's rights. I looked to current campaigns and efforts that are working towards improving the situations of children in order to find the right organization to represent. I also looked to historic precedents of peaceful interventions and other strategies that use understanding and compassion.
The image below shows a preliminary concept map which aided me in developing a design strategy for the series of ten posters, based on approaching the difficult topics with positivity.
I began this project with research of what I found to be some of the most pertinent issues globally—children's rights. I looked to current campaigns and efforts that are working towards improving the situations of children in order to find the right organization to represent. I also looked to historic precedents of peaceful interventions and other strategies that use understanding and compassion.
The image below shows a preliminary concept map which aided me in developing a design strategy for the series of ten posters, based on approaching the difficult topics with positivity.
Posters
Using abstraction and re-telling as design strategies, "Asylum" takes a look at the predicament of children on the move and children seeking refuge. The poster re-imagines the situation through the eyes of a child who is unaware of concepts of borders and legal status.
Media: Photography of paper cutouts, hand drawn illustrations and typography. Assembled digitally. Poster is 36"x24"
Media: Photography of paper cutouts, hand drawn illustrations and typography. Assembled digitally. Poster is 36"x24"
This poster named "remove landmines, ban landmines, save lives" uses substitution to represent the lethal effects of landmines on the innocent lives of children. By showing the blank silhouettes of children the poster raises awareness about this issue, and at the same time symbolically removes children from these dangerous situations.
Media: Photography of color powders and confetti, overlaid with digital typography. Poster is 36"x24"
Media: Photography of color powders and confetti, overlaid with digital typography. Poster is 36"x24"
The poster below titled "No Child is Illegal" portrays the lives of children who call refugee encampments home. The use of a paper tent is representative of the fragility of their situation, in which 'home' can be taken away at any moment.
Media: Photography of folded vellum, hand-drawn illustrations and typography; modified and assembled digitally. Poster is 36"x24"
Media: Photography of folded vellum, hand-drawn illustrations and typography; modified and assembled digitally. Poster is 36"x24"
The following poster titled "no child displaced, no family uprooted" uses substitution to represent the children and families displaced by poverty and those facing homelessness through a perspective of childhood innocence—with the imagery offering what is almost like an alternate reality to a very difficult situation.
Media: Photography of confetti, hand-drawn illustrations and digital typography. Poster is 36"x24"
Media: Photography of confetti, hand-drawn illustrations and digital typography. Poster is 36"x24"
Remaining six posters in the ten poster series; each uses a combination of photography, drawing techniques and typography to represent different topics and issues pertaining to children's rights.
Posters are 36"x24" each.
Posters are 36"x24" each.
Exhibition
After creating the series of posters, the second half of the project became the development and execution of the "Design is Change" exhibition in collaboration with Miami Beach Urban Studios and the AIGA Miami during the spring of 2017. My role in this event involved selecting pieces for the exhibition and coordinating with artists and printers. Other tasks also included collecting media information, composing videos for projection and the physical organization and tagging of items for the exhibit.
After creating the series of posters, the second half of the project became the development and execution of the "Design is Change" exhibition in collaboration with Miami Beach Urban Studios and the AIGA Miami during the spring of 2017. My role in this event involved selecting pieces for the exhibition and coordinating with artists and printers. Other tasks also included collecting media information, composing videos for projection and the physical organization and tagging of items for the exhibit.
An accompanying exhibition book containing all of the posters featured was also created, and a later addition of a website for the project serves to showcase new works by student designers teaming up with over 50 non-profit organizations and charities.
Visit at designischange.org