Distorted Perceptions: BFA Thesis Project

It is nearly impossible to view a person and not make an initial judgement about their identity. Often times this perception is skewed from the viewer’s own experiences and knowledge. Growing up with short hair and an athletic background, I was often perceived as a boy, giving me insight into human perception. It has allowed me to understand that it is not merely the physicality of our bodies, but the presence of our personal identity and the four main characteristics that create us: emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical. The image was separated into the four color printing process and each color was screen printed onto a piece of plexiglass. When looking through the viewing hole, one can see the image as a whole and as the perception was intended. Each layer represents a characteristic as described above and corresponds with a podium. The podiums display pads of paper with one of ten words letterpressed on the backside of each page representing words I associate with that particular characteristic. The viewer was then invited to write their own interpretation in a word or phrase, tear off the sheet, reveal my word on the back and deposit it into the box. The pages were then compiled into one book to juxtapose the outsider's perception to my own.

With this project I received the Charles Logan Smith Award of Excellence in Design.