Discovered Voices:
Senior Thesis
In the United States, anxiety disorders affect nearly 40 million adults every year. The portrayal of anxiety in the media, which frequently associates the mental disorder with anguish, danger, and distress, has led to a predominantly negative stigma of anxiety within art and society. As a result, many individuals struggle to find confidence in addressing and discussing their experiences with anxiety.
Discovered Voices is a collection of narratives that guide the viewer through the journey of living with an anxiety disorder. By juxtaposing a series of personal quotes with a variety of words that convey feelings and traits associated with anxiety, the book reveals a new understanding of what it is like to cope with the mental disorder.
Discovered Voices explores the idea that anxiety is not inherently negative, but rather a part of who we are and thus has the ability to be accepted and embraced. Using this notion as a premise for my research, the words and narratives found within each page communicate how anxiety disorders can be perceived more holistically. This new perception challenges any negativity toward the disorder and offers an alternative to solely viewing anxiety in light of its more unfavorable effects.
The viewer is encouraged to read through the narratives that have been developed on each side of the book.
Discovered Voices was created using the accordion fold book-making method. Each spread within the book was adhered to the next to create an overall six-foot-long book that the viewer was encouraged to walk around to read all of its content. The title of the book was embossed onto the front and back covers. The featured words at the top of each page were laser-cut into the pages to allow for a sense of depth and contrast within the book. Once completed, Discovered Voices was put on display from March 28th-April 1st in the Ohio University Graphic Design 2017 Senior Thesis Show So What…
Click here to read more about the So What… exhibition.
