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Ancient Rock-Color Art and Its Impact on Japanese and Chinese Illustration

Ancient Rock-Color Art and Its Impact on Japanese and Chinese Illustration

Wenqi Feng
  • 2022
  • Illustration (School of Graduate Studies)
  • Text
  • Thesis
The rock painting is a type of ancient oriental color painting which has a history of thousands of years, it is made by grinding the rock mineral into powder and painting it with animal glue and vegetable gum. It has been widely spread in China and Japan since around A.D.900 to today. The color system of rock paintings consists of five categories: pure natural mineral color, new rock mineral color, water dry color, mica color, and glitter color, combining with metal foil to complete the work. Rock color will produce different visual effects when viewed from different angles. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the difference between the Rock-Color art’s impact on Japanese and Chinese illustration. In general, the Ancient Rock-Color Art makes contemporary Asia illustration more valuable for the exhibition because of its special material, and it makes the illustrations show strong oriental characteristics.
The Reasons for the Growth of Illustrations in Classical Literature

The Reasons for the Growth of Illustrations in Classical Literature

Xingzhou Cheng
  • 2022
  • Illustration (School of Graduate Studies)
  • Text
  • Thesis
Illustrations have been included as an essential part of classical literature since before the invention of the moveable type. Classical literature is defined as works generally accepted to be of excellent and enduring quality and about major cultural themes. Historically, such works have had various reasons to include illustrations. On one hand, authors have relied on art to explain and expand on the text and give an overall aesthetic to the theme. On the other hand, publishers used illustrations to attract new often less educated readers who had access to many types of books printed during and after the industrial revolution.
The Modern Video Game Market Promotes a Variety of Illustration Styles

The Modern Video Game Market Promotes a Variety of Illustration Styles

Christian Ray C. Blaza
  • 2022
  • Illustration (School of Graduate Studies)
  • Text
  • Thesis
Video games are electronic interactive images viewed on a display, controlled by a player or players. There are as many illustration styles as illustrators and for the gaming industry, this has proved to be very beneficial to the market. Illustration’s role has rapidly grown in modern video game development. Initially entirely non-existent, it now plays a significant role in a video game’s visual style. The illustration style for video games has changed from limited rudimentary graphics to be more sophisticated and varied because of several factors.
Vanity

Vanity

Carlos Aponte
  • 2022
  • Illustration (School of Graduate Studies)
  • Text
  • Thesis
The qualifying paper will examine Vanity, a 1980’s (1981-1989) avant-garde Italian fashion magazine, one of the publications that revived fashion illustration. The collaboration of Director Anna Piaggi and the illustrator Antonio Lopez at Vanity during the eighties inspired many in the industry and broke conventions. For example, Vanity used fashion illustration on its covers in a timely fashion illustration that was declared dead, and photography dominated editorial and advertisement.
A Spine-Chilling Tale of American Illustration: The Enduring Visual Legacy of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and The Value of Malice

A Spine-Chilling Tale of American Illustration: The Enduring Visual Legacy of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and The Value of Malice

Jensine Eckwall
  • 2021
  • Illustration (School of Graduate Studies)
  • Text
  • Thesis
This essay aims to analyze and discern the reasoning behind the enduring cultural power of Stephen Gammell’s illustrations for Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, a three-part series of collected American folktales and urban myths, beginning in 1981. Gammell’s illustrations were polarizing enough to incite many attempted bans of Scary Stories over the last 40 years, as well as to galvanize a strong adult fanbase that reacted strongly to the publisher’s decision to commission new illustrations by Brett Helquist for the series in 2010. This essay will employ art criticism and history, gothic scholarship, interviews, and context from the education and publishing spheres to assess this unique case of public investment in illustration and how it has evolved and changed over time, intersecting with notions of cultural and religious values along the way.
Symphony of Colors - Inclusivity and Color Perception

Symphony of Colors - Inclusivity and Color Perception

Sonali Agle
  • 2023
  • Exhibition and Experience Design
  • Text
  • Thesis
In the intricate fabric of human understanding, color intertwines seamlessly with our feelings and perceptions. It acts as an influential means of expression, molding our emotional landscapes and connecting us intimately with our environment, while also shaping our artistic preferences. Take, for instance, an artist’s album release, where a distinct color palette becomes forever associated with the music, creating a lasting link for the fanbase. This illustrates the profound impact of color on our daily existence and its pivotal role in shaping cultural references. This thesis delves into the complex dynamics of human perception of color, emphasizing the need to improve accessibility to color experiences.
Illustrators on the Record: The Evolution of Illustration in Emo Music from Punk (1979-2020)

Illustrators on the Record: The Evolution of Illustration in Emo Music from Punk (1979-2020)

Rinn Wight
  • 2024
  • Illustration (School of Graduate Studies)
  • Text
  • Thesis
The music genre, Emo, took the stage in the late seventies on the East Coast of North America, presenting itself as an emotional force from artist to listener. Emo stemmed from the Punk genre, expressing more of the emotionally fraught lyrics and brash tone, rejecting punk’s anti-establishment position and embracing personal expression. Illustrative album art for Emo music bands originated as a medium that could be well represented and enjoyed by both its audio and artwork, including album art, poster art, and merchandise. These illustrations on album covers highlighted common subjects, including heartbreak, violence, drugs, horror, celebrity rifts, stereotypes, oddities, and freaks, as a selling point to its genre’s masses. The quality and technical skill of the various illustrators ranged from album to album. Nevertheless, each artwork had a direct and brash attitude, similar to the music it protects, inciting an emotional reaction to which the viewer can relate to. This qualifying research paper surveys the evolution of Punk in the late seventies to Emo in the twenty-first century. It considers emotional imagery in the context of subgenre standards and changes in personal narratives following the evolution of its culture. This paper will then explore the direct collaborations between illustrators and musicians, such as Out of Step, Dookie, In Love And Death, and Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. Examining how illustrators approached personal narrative and emotion in their work for Emo music, it will become apparent that its sound and imagery tell the personal stories and lifestyles of its creators, one to which its respective following could relate. The purpose of this qualifying paper is to acknowledge the role illustrators play in creating successful artwork that stands the test of time and give credit where credit is due; since the musical artists’ typically receive most of the attention in an album, less interest is paid to visual artists who create its artwork, thus it is hard to find any credible information at all.
Lorenzo Mattotti’s Unique Visual Language

Lorenzo Mattotti’s Unique Visual Language

Xiao Lyu
  • 2024
  • Illustration (School of Graduate Studies)
  • Text
  • Thesis
Lorenzo Mattotti, one of the essential Italian illustrators and cartoonists and also recognized as one of the most outstanding international exponents of art today, was born in Brescia, Lombardy, Italy, on January 24, 1954. Now he is living and working in Paris, France. Different from artists who usually do their works in a single personal style, Lorenzo Mattotti has various illustration styles and is especially famous for those dynamic shapes and vibrant colors painted with oil pastels, colored pencils, and acrylics. However, he can still keep his distinct personal characteristics to achieve the narrative he wanted to express in his artworks when keeping a delicate balance between different schools from different periods. Therefore, he is considered an artist who is equally concerned with complex imagery and sharp storytelling. This research paper will study Lorenzo Mattotti’s illustration style and analyze his visual language, which is mainly executed with traditional media, focusing on the variety of Lorenzo Mattotti’s illustrations and the relationship between his abstract or concrete visual languages and various schools, to explore what they bring to his art which made him achieve his two extremes: high-level storytelling and drawing that suggests unique emotions and why they matter in today’s field of illustration.
Evolution of the Witch Archetype in Illustration -- From Renaissance Europe to Today

Evolution of the Witch Archetype in Illustration -- From Renaissance Europe to Today

Miranda Moorhead
  • 2024
  • Illustration (School of Graduate Studies)
  • Text
  • Thesis
This qualifying paper examines how illustrators have implemented the witch archetype throughout several centuries of art. Starting with illustrations created during the height of the Witch Trials in Renaissance Europe (1450-1650 AD) and following the evolution to the modern age, this paper examines the various representations and purposes artists have used for the witch and how artists and art styles have evolved to complement the changing times. Since the Renaissance, the illustrated witch has evolved from a tool to cause moral panic and control women to become a satirical symbol commenting on society’s failures, a reflection of society’s interest in the occult, both a hero and villain in children’s books and films and as an icon for feminists. This paper will compare representations of the witch in contemporary illustration with illustrations of the past to show how imagery from Renaissance Europe, in particular, still influences modern illustration.
The Murals of Yongle Palace of China

The Murals of Yongle Palace of China

Linzi Chen
  • 2024
  • Illustration (School of Graduate Studies)
  • Text
  • Thesis
The murals of Yongle Palace in China belong to Chinese Taoist murals and are used to promote traditional Chinese Taoist culture. Located in Ruicheng, Shanxi, China, they were painted in 1247 BC in the early Yuan Dynasty. They are important both historically and to modern illustrators because of their rich subject matter and superb painting technique. They are a part of a unique artistic style developed from the Tang and Song Dynasties and integrated the characteristics of paintings from the Yuan Dynasty. Today, the murals of Yongle Palace are treasures of ancient Chinese painting art and are considered rare masterpieces universally. They are also incredibly valuable for artistic research. Modern illustrators reference them for techniques and themes. Through an in-depth study of the painting language of the Yongle Palace murals in China from the aspects of composition techniques, character modeling, line styles, and color expressions, this qualifying paper hopes to further explore this artistic language system as well as its patterns with Chinese national characteristics, and how its ancient traditional painting techniques influence the innovative development of modern Chinese illustration art.
The Visual Language of Disabilities In Comics: Villains, Victims and Victories

The Visual Language of Disabilities In Comics: Villains, Victims and Victories

Izzy Singer
  • 2024
  • Illustration (School of Graduate Studies)
  • Text
  • Thesis
Disabled characters have been present in comics since the beginning of the Golden Age of Comics (1938- 1956) in America. Comic illustrators are tasked with quickly visualizing characters and utilize human traits such as gender, race and body type to express the humanity of the character; disabled characters have been utilized by comic illustrators in ways that mainly build on negative stereotypes. Comic book characters are drawn with disabilities to express the character’s otherness, wrongs or pitiable nature. Exceptions exist within the realm of American superhero comics, modern graphic memoirs, and fantasy. In order to explore the full spectrum of ways in which disabilities are characterized in comics, this paper seeks to review the few disabled characters that appear in comics between the Golden and Modern Ages (1985-present). This paper will trace Golden Age tropes with Modern Age representations to prove that the use of disability in the visual language of comic book illustration has not changed drastically and highlights artists who have broken out of stereotypes. Through analysis of these characters this paper will ask if disabled characters will continue to change, or else, remain stagnant.
The Women of Underground Comix

The Women of Underground Comix

Christina Lee
  • 2024
  • Illustration (School of Graduate Studies)
  • Text
  • Thesis
Underground Comix was a style of independently published comics that primarily originated from the San Francisco Bay Area from the 1960s-70s. The word “comix” was used to differentiate the work from mainstream comics and imply the X-rated content of the work. The illustrators of the Underground Comix style depicted explicit content that was forbidden to major publishers by the Comics Code Authority, passed by the Comics Magazine Association of America in 1954, such as drug use, politics, violence, and sexuality. During a revolutionary time for culture, Underground Comix changed the comic book industry by publishing edgy work unfettered by censorship and societal norms, paving the path for new comic genres to emerge beyond superheroes and newspaper strips. While the illustrators from this era, such as Robert Crumb, S. Clay Wilson, and Spain Rodriguez are well-regarded; the women from this era, such as Joyce Farmer, Shary Flenniken, Aline Kominsky-Crumb, and Lee Marrs, are rarely recognized. Historically subjugated, the women of the Underground Comix embraced creative freedom and produced groundbreakingly personal and feminist comics that continue to influence illustration today.
Cultivating Adult Friendship Through Experiential Design Design Techniques to Deepen the Audience Learning Experience and Support the Creation, Maintenance and Strengthening of Adult Friendships in Exhibition and Experience Design

Cultivating Adult Friendship Through Experiential Design Design Techniques to Deepen the Audience Learning Experience and Support the Creation, Maintenance and Strengthening of Adult Friendships in Exhibition and Experience Design

Laura O'Grady
  • 2023
  • Exhibition and Experience Design
  • Text
  • Thesis
This paper is divided into two parts. Part One explores academic theory in connection to friendship and designed spaces. Part Two details the application of this theory in an applied project.
In Part One, I begin by sharing the current understanding of friendship from a sociological perspective, including the power of friendships for human well-being, how friendships are created, various types or definitions of friendships, and the barriers adults face making meaningful friendships today. The paper then expands into how friendship connects to museum exhibitions and designed experiences in a unique way, as individuals rarely attend these types of spaces alone and a visit to a location can change depending on your companions. Finally, the paper explores various ways designers can create spaces with the concept of friendship creation, maintenance, and strengthening in mind. These techniques fall into the following five categories: (1) design goal planning, (2) passive spatial design, (3) creating opportunities for connection, (4) empowering individual confidence, and (5) internal and external programming opportunities.
Part Two shows these theoretical applications in an immersive exhibition project called Sleep Factory. These techniques demonstrate the potential opportunities for exhibition designers to enhance the creation, maintenance, and strengthening of adult friendships. The applied project includes all elements of the exhibition content development and design with graphics, 3D spaces, audio-visual elements, objects, lighting, power-mapping, and detailed fabrication documentation.
The Rainbow Connection

The Rainbow Connection

D. Villella
  • 2023
  • Exhibition and Experience Design
  • Text
  • Thesis
This document is arranged in two sections. Part One explores theory, and Part Two outlines the application of this theory in a project.
Part One studies the issues affecting connectivity in the Queer community, and considers the opportunities dialogic exhibitions present in forging stronger bonds between Queer individuals and Queer social groups. The theory stems from research on gentrification, urban development, and psychology. The exhibition homes in on the power of feeling welcomed in a place, and how feeling welcomed impacts Queer people from several facets. Building awareness of the self and of the struggles of others, and then facing those struggles through interpersonal dialogue with other Queer people begins to wear away the generally false notion that some Queer people are not welcome in many Queer spaces. Fostering awareness in this manner builds on psychological research that shows how identifying the struggles of others and relating them to your own builds empathy for that individual or group. Creating opportunity for dialogue to take place and to continue creates new bonds and creates opportunity for them to be cemented.
Part Two demonstrates how social and emotional mechanisms can be deployed in dialogic exhibition, in an environment that openly welcomes all Queer people: first, by creating a welcoming environment that embraces all identities, and then by allowing visitors to explore their own Queerphobias, building a basis for them to overcome them. The next stage focuses on oppression and explores it from political, social, and economic perspectives, and how it relates to broader acceptance of Queer people. Following this, dialogue is activated between two individuals through a curated experience and continues to the final stage where more social conversation can take place, and where individuals will have the opportunity to reflect on their experiences. The applied project includes all elements of exhibition content development; sourcing of artifacts and objects relevant to the narrative, or facsimiles thereof; interior and spatial design; the design of graphics, audio visual elements, and fixtures; the specification of finishes, furnishings, and lighting; and fabrication detailing documentation.
Heal Harm Protect: An Exploration of the Modern Museum's Relationship to Social Wellness

Heal Harm Protect: An Exploration of the Modern Museum's Relationship to Social Wellness

Caroline Siavichay
  • 2023
  • Exhibition and Experience Design
  • Text
  • Thesis
This document is arranged in two sections. Part One explores theory, and Part Two outlines the application of this theory in an applied exhibition project.
Part One considers the opportunities in museum environments to foster prosocial behavior within communities, allowing visitors to tangibly work towards achieving societal wellness. The theory explores the use of ritual, social design goals and the group vs individual viewing balance necessary to achieve social cohesion in an exhibition setting by examining several factors for the visitor. First, the paper establishes the importance of a museum's role in a community as a place that utilizes social ritual to create feelings of belonging. It further explores the opportunity to further develop empathy and prosocial behavior by utilizing strategic viewing techniques from other methods of social gathering that have achieved great success in this area, such as theater and concerts. Finally, Part One proposes a new method of structuring design goals to include consideration of the social wellness that accompanies community representation and accessibility.
Part Two demonstrates the application of a community-centered design process that includes explicit goals of fostering prosocial behavior and community connection in a museum environment. The applied project includes all elements of exhibition content development and design including sourcing of historical artifacts, the design of graphics, 3D spaces, audio visual elements, lighting, and fabrication detailing documentation.
Light and You The Emotional Influence of Lighting on the Human Psyche

Light and You The Emotional Influence of Lighting on the Human Psyche

Tanisi Ghosh
  • 2023
  • Exhibition and Experience Design
  • Text
  • Thesis
Light. It's how we see and perceive everything around us. Everything begins and ends with light, whether it's seeing different colors, or experiencing complete darkness. We come across different forms of light in our daily lives, and they impact us significantly. First came natural light, boasting the power of the sun and the moon. It is no surprise that sunlight is vital to all living beings. Think of that one day when you were without any sunlight. Do you remember feeling completely disoriented and dull?
Soon enough, sunlight turned into illumination through a flame. And then came artificial light, which was a revolutionary invention for the human race. Electricity running through filaments, producing light and illuminating a room—all in a single click. Ever since I was a kid, I felt something every time I saw certain forms and temperatures of lighting. Growing up, it was difficult to know what it was about lighting that made me feel this, but I knew I was extremely fascinated by it. Soon, I started dabbling with the thought that I may not be the only one that feels this way. Pursuing higher education in design helped me lean in on the concept and importance of lighting, and pursuing a masters in spatial design convinced me that lighting can absolutely transform a space and how the visitors feel in it.
The dynamic daylight and the controlled artificial lighting are able to affect not only distinct physical measurable conditions in a space, but also to instigate and provoke different visual experiences and moods. Due to the light, it is possible to perceive different atmospheres in the same physical environment. Fontenelle observes that "Light constitutes an element of fundamental relevance for the design of spaces and therefore it plays a significant role in the discussion of quality in architecture."
Lighting serves to highlight and mark objects, reveal spatial or symbolic pathways, direct or deflect the viewer's attention toward a particular artwork's detail, and reveal the symbolic strategy and meaning trajectories planned by the artist or light designer. Light and lighting also reveal spatial or symbolic paths. A significant correlation between lighting levels and light colors, psychophysiological responses, and emotional responses by the perceivers was actually established through research using light sources of different spectrums (from natural to artificial light). Generally, a higher intensity of light stimulation corresponds to a higher level of concentration/attention, which is linked to a greater emotional response by the subject.
I was 19 when I watched my first broadway show while on a trip to New York, and watching the dynamic sets and incredibly engaging lighting changed my world. I completed my undergraduate degree in India, and worked in set design where my love for lighting expanded. My fascination with this phenomenon of lighting led to this research, and that led me to another intriguing phenomenon—the circadian rhythm. Humans are light-seeking creatures. As a result of human evolution, we have come to rely on sunlight as the main signal that controls the master clock in our brains. All biological processes, including the creation of hormones in our bodies on a daily basis, are governed by this master clock. Circadian lighting is illumination that is intended to affect the human circadian system biologically. Circadian lighting transmits signals to our internal master clock, which controls the synthesis of several hormones and instructs our bodies on what to do and when to do anything during the day and even while we sleep at night. Strong light signals to the master clock encourage greater sleep, less weariness, and better attention, all of which improve our motivation.
In this thesis, I explore how and why lighting creates an emotional impact on the human brain, how it can positively influence our minds using circadian principles; and how we can best use it as exhibition designers to give visitors an optimal experience. This study and paper is broken down into two parts. The first part highlights the development of an original thesis pertaining to the use of light as a means to impact physical and emotional wellness. The second part focuses on the development of an applied design project that utilizes this theory.
Inducing Awe Through Manipulations of Scale in Exhibitions

Inducing Awe Through Manipulations of Scale in Exhibitions

Ivar Theorin
  • 2023
  • Exhibition and Experience Design
  • Text
  • Thesis
This paper will be an exploration of how we can induce the feeling of awe in exhibitions to create engaging and memorable experiences.Part I will present research into Awe and Biophilic design, and through testing explore how these ideas can be used in the exhibition field. Awe is the feeling that we feel when we are faced with something that goes beyond our ordinary frame of reference. This feeling opens us up to new perspectives and thereby encourages learning. Feelings of awe are often associated with experiences in nature and biophilic design explores how elements from the natural world can be integrated in the built environment. I will look at how findings in these two related fields can be combined to create engaging experiences by supporting and emphasizing narrative exhibition structures where visitors can feel the content as well as take it in intellectually.
Part II details how the findings in the first section are utilized in my exhibition project, "The Wonderful Visit to Oz," which will be an interpretation of the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as a Hero's Journey and will be aimed at an intergenerational audience. The archetypal story structure of the Hero's Journey, with its themes of facing challenges and succeeding through collaboration, is applicable for any stage of life and matches the intended target audience of grandparents and grandchildren. The exhibition project will present an immersive environment built to facilitate collaboration and connection while guiding the visitors on a both metaphorical and physical adventure.
Horsecentrism A Mutually Beneficial Relationship Between Humans and Horses

Horsecentrism A Mutually Beneficial Relationship Between Humans and Horses

Flavia Pedrosa Tonietto
  • 2023
  • Exhibition and Experience Design
  • Text
  • Thesis
This document is organized in two sections. The first section is the thesis, "Exploratory Steps" which shows how visitors explore and orient themselves in exhibition environments, thus allowing intrinsic elements of the exhibition to alter the chosen path. The second section, through the topic of equine therapy, seeks to demonstrate human behavioral patterns related to circulation, and guidance and explores them through an open floor plan. Through the thesis and the proposed project, the paper suggests that designers can strategically position elements such as displays, artwork, and text to create a hierarchy to explore the potential for spatial attraction.
Art Opens Our Minds : Experience the Earth Within

Art Opens Our Minds : Experience the Earth Within

Janelle Sochet
  • 2023
  • Exhibition and Experience Design
  • Text
  • Thesis
This exhibition will explore the complexities between humans and nature, uncovering the anatomical and emotional connections we share. There are rich similarities apparent from the mycelium network of fungal roots and the neurological networks within our bodies, each orchestrating a communication system for the organism to thrive in their environments. For instance, the mycelial energy centers referred to as "mother trees'; are older trees of the forest ground that have created the foundation of the rooted networks. Therefore, the mother tree can sense when there is a weakening within the rooted connection between younger trees of the forest to send nutrients through the mycelial to aid the ill trees back to health. The human body functions in a similar format, for instance, reaction to making contact with a hot surface, reflexes kick in, and the hand is pulled away or if a disease enters the body the immune system cell soldiers will fight against the foreign bacteria. These systems are significant to the function of life itself and align the thought that humans and nature act in synchronicity.
To ground is to align your mind, body and soul. This can be accomplished in many ways depending on the preference of the individual's connection to their sense of self and environment. Although, a universally sound rule of grounding is breath-work. Our breath taps into every part of our being and connects us to our surroundings, providing confidence in the present. Before we continue, pause and take a breath. And not the typical implicit breath, but an intentional full belly breath, in and out. This is an opportunity to root into the now and clear your mind. Through the art of breath, spaces optimal for grounding can be integrated into designed environments to elevate experiences of visitor engagement.
The Earth Within will combine the facets of expressive arts therapy, cymatics, and somatic breath all woven into the core value of grounding. These researched topics will be explored as methods to elevate the visitor experience through empathic design principles. In relation to the core of my thesis, my goal is to express the profound connection between human existence and nature which surrounds us. As we have drifted into modernized ways of life, with technology at the forefront of all communication, as I am using an electronic device to express myself at this moment, it is essential to reinforce that the essence of spirit resides not in the technology, but in the being using the instrument. These methods described above, expressive arts, cymatics, breathing, are all tools, electric or not, to connect with the human spirit and explain why it is that we have this innate connection to nature. With this information, join me on this journey to explore the Earth Within and how Art Opens Our Minds.
Designs on You: Find Your Missing Piece (of Art)

Designs on You: Find Your Missing Piece (of Art)

Cameron A. Ledy
  • 2023
  • Exhibition and Experience Design
  • Text
  • Thesis
In this research I will explore how to make fine art exhibitions, particularly gallery spaces, more approachable, engaging, and able to better serve the communities in which they exist. This document is arranged in two sections. Part One explores theory, while part two demonstrates the use of said theory in an applied project. The first section looks at traditions of Exhibition Design in gallery settings: primarily The White Cube. I will also identify the myriad value models and motivations for appraising and engaging with contemporary art and art experiences. In my research I have found that the multifaceted value of art can be unlocked for Visitors and Collectors through not only acquisition, but also through access. The second half of the document is an exhibition proposal that takes this research into account to develop an inviting, engaging, and dynamic art experience that can be enjoyed by art lovers of all skill levels.
Shades of Empathy: Apples to Apples. Creating Empathy for Color Blindness Through Shared Experiences

Shades of Empathy: Apples to Apples. Creating Empathy for Color Blindness Through Shared Experiences

Wan Ting Lin
  • 2023
  • Exhibition and Experience Design
  • Text
  • Thesis
In this research, I investigate how to make the audience empathize with the color blind through a narrative method, as well as research several materials and lighting to create plenty of sensorial experiences in an exhibition. The document is organized into two parts:
The first section explores the thesis of how empathy-focusing design can be used to bring the audience into the world of color blindness, which provides a more inclusive environment for society. After the research, the application of the design helps the audience understand people with color blindness through shared experiences. It further explores the opportunity to develop empathy, suggesting that empathy is crucial in mitigating bias toward disability.
The second section outlines a proposed project that employs the strategies investigated in my thesis to unveil the daily experiences of individuals with color blindness. This applied project introduces an immersive interaction for the public, aiming to broaden their understanding of color blindness and urging the industry to adopt inclusive considerations in future design projects.
Superhero School Engaging Children on the Autism Spectrum

Superhero School Engaging Children on the Autism Spectrum

Janine Natalie B. Edovas
  • 2023
  • Exhibition and Experience Design
  • Text
  • Thesis
This paper is organized into two parts. The first part is the Exhibition Thesis which is a study on autism and neurodiversity as they relate to museum programming. The research explores the current practices of museums in welcoming neurodivergent audiences into their institutions. Through primary research consisting of an interview and two prototype testing iterations, as well as secondary research methods, it can be concluded that while museums are being inclusive by accommodating autistic and other neurodivergent visitors, there is still more that can be done to serve this growing segment.
The sensory sensitive programming that museums offer tends to address the factors that make these children "disabled." However, through the lens of neurodiversity, a positive approach can be the solution to being inclusive to visitors who think and learn differently from the neurotypical. Focusing on what children are good at can result in better engagement and healthier self-esteem.
The second part is the Exhibition Project which outlines the application of the findings from the thesis. Research for this part also revealed specific interest areas and abilities that became the key content for the exhibition. A thematic approach is utilized to bring together the different elements: graphics, spatial design, digital, and interactives.
Violette Marsan, Erik Braagaard, Henri De Chatillon: French Milliners of New York, 1930–1968

Violette Marsan, Erik Braagaard, Henri De Chatillon: French Milliners of New York, 1930–1968

Celine Khawam
  • 2023
  • Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice
  • Text
  • Thesis
Many designers who were significant contributors to Paris fashions in the 1930s have disappeared from the record of fashion history. This long list of forgotten designers includes Violette H. Marsan (1902-1997), Erik Braagaard (1912-2004), and Henri de Châtillon (1906- 1972), three Paris-based French modistes (milliners) who were celebrated for their elegant hats. They gained widespread success in France before fleeing the country in the wake of the Second World War and settling in New York and Mexico City. They were part of the numerous French émigrés (immigrants) who had found refuge in the United States during wartime, many of whom were intellectuals, artists, and designers. Back then, the French fashion community of New York was acclaimed, notably through the design contributions of Madame Nicole and Lilly Daché, two renowned French-American milliners. Despite their success and talent, the creations of Violette Marsan, Erik Braagaard, and Henri de Châtillon are not well represented in museum collections and their names are no longer recalled. My goal with this paper is to recover the course of their respective careers and recount these untold stories. A close look at their work, aspirations, and influence in New York and beyond will provide further insight into their style and relationship to the American fashion industry between 1930 and 1968, at a time of democratization of fashion and greater recognition for American designers.
Artificial Minority: Combating Unconscious Biases Embedded in Facial Recognition Technology

Artificial Minority: Combating Unconscious Biases Embedded in Facial Recognition Technology

Emily Tse
  • 2023
  • Exhibition and Experience Design
  • Text
  • Thesis
This Master's thesis qualifying paper is a compilation of the thesis research and design application to spread public awareness of algorithmic injustice in facial recognition technology.Part one is the thesis research exploring facial recognition technology and reasons why the technology is biased. The inequality impedes civil rights, such as the right to be free from discrimination and the right to privacy. This section also discusses three case studies of facial recognition audits and how participatory museum techniques are used to encourage dialogue and promote empathy. Additionally, primary research was conducted in which expert interviews contributed to the understanding of technology as a system of power and ways to orchestrate workshop programming. Two iterations of prototype testing and a survey collected opinions on facial recognition technology.Part two of the thesis paper contains the concept and design development of the exhibition project. The exhibition used the participatory museum techniques researched in part one to encourage dialogue on algorithmic justice. The client, site, and audience were chosen based on the research in part one. The design development contains details of the spatial design and how the graphic system was applied to the environmental graphics. A study model of the exhibition space was constructed.
Unwrapping a Korean Folk Textile: The Historical Analysis and Treatment of a Mid-twentieth Century Jogakbo-Bojagi

Unwrapping a Korean Folk Textile: The Historical Analysis and Treatment of a Mid-twentieth Century Jogakbo-Bojagi

Minna Kim
  • 2023
  • Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice
  • Text
  • Thesis
The purpose of this qualifying paper is to emphasize the historical importance of a post-1950 jogakbo-bojagi, a Korean wrapping cloth featuring patchwork, and to treat it prior to mounting for a private collector.
Chapters one through five cover the history, function, qualities, and variations of bojagi textiles and their cultural importance to society, particularly women. Traditionally, women played a large role in the making of bojagi, which is why this paper will explore the societal expectations of women in Korea during the Joseon dynasty. To fully grasp the cultural context of bojagi textiles, this paper will briefly cover Korea's history from the ancient Three Kingdoms Period to the end of the Japanese occupation period. In this paper, topics covered include trade, cultivation of fibers, synthetic dyes, and global history from the late-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries. Lastly, chapters six through eight will cover the condition and treatment of the jogakbo-bojagi, as well as final conclusions and dating of the object.