DEPART STIGMA MURAL.
Depart Stigma is a project that stemmed from an academic research paper. In which I explored the different roles graphic design plays in society from meeting safety needs to bringing people together through large-scale design. The conclusion was clear, visual communication plays a vital role in society. So why are creative industries and education so stigmatised? Kids are told it is the "unrealistic option" Professionals are told to "get a real job" while these sectors are being cut and underfunded.
In response, I created Depart Stigma a charitable organisation which offers support for students and professionals enabling them to pursue creative careers without judgment. Through events and practical initiatives, it provides access to creative resources and assists with university applications and career transitions. As someone who was afraid to take the leap, I believe in Depart Stigma's intention of connecting people to their passion.
I created a design campaign to draw people to Depart Stigma, I thought about how someone may come into contact with the organisation at first and the journey led to getting help. So I designed leaflets to be handed out at opening days, career events etc. Also, posters would be displayed in tube stations and bus stops which would lead them to website and social media pages where they'd be able to get involved. I used a bold minimal colour palette to draw attention, emphasizing the purple to project the brand across different collateral. I used sketchy and rustic elements to signify the brand's routes in creativity.
THE MURAL.
I wanted to put Depart Stigma's core beliefs and values into action, the idea was to create something in an educational institution that empowers and inspires the students. In my research, I was heavily inspired by Lakwena Maciver who injects colour and text into large-scale murals to empower certain groups in society. There was a large wall space in my university which lacked vibrancy, I came up with a few designs incorporating lots of mediums and textures to formulate an abstract composition. I used random shapes overlapping each other to recall the early stages of creativity, cutting up paper colouring them in and sticking them together. Its Something we all relate to as part of early childhood, before preconceptions and expectations of what creativity should be become ingrained in us, initiating the stigma. The statement "Be you be creative" is to show we are inherently creative. Don't try to change yourself. Be you!
Designs were appreciated by students and lecturers across campus and were pushed forward to get funding from the university to be painted onto the wall by Fresh Creative.
