Luminous Darkness
Undergraduate thesis exploration of death and the human body through textile exploration.
Terror Management theory proposes that nearly all human activity is driven by fear of death: one of life’s greatest mysteries and its ultimate inevitability. What if, instead of being afraid, we could embrace death? There’s a certain beauty in knowing that life is finite and that everything will come to an end, for everyone—because there can be no death without life. This recalls one of the most debated topics: life after death; a ponderable imponderable. There are many varying and opposing philosophical, religious, and cultural views on this but there can be no definitive answer. And yet, by acknowledging the saliency of mortality, we acknowledge the sureness of death and, indeed, its beauty. I am intrigued by the idea that we are more than our physical selves. As a multidisciplinary designer, I use the human body together with the nuances of textiles and fashion as points of inspiration and create pieces that showcase the fact that the human body is more than a material object, more than a finite being in space. The work is a celebration of beauty, literally and existentially: the beauty of the human form, the beauty of mortality, the beauty of death.
The process to get here was long and variable but I think it was necessary to reach a point where it felt complete.
So without further ado...the deep dive/research/iteration:
At a moment’s notice
This was a great exercise in exploring contemporary design in a fun short zine that felt super colorful, but also aided in the exploration. This also helped develop my ideas further along further in my process as it allowed me to add a new layer of dimension and actually what prompted me to use fabric to create this dimensional aspect to the final renderings/print out.
This was a great exercise in exploring contemporary design in a fun short zine that felt super colorful, but also aided in the exploration. This also helped develop my ideas further along further in my process as it allowed me to add a new layer of dimension and actually what prompted me to use fabric to create this dimensional aspect to the final renderings/print out.
2d illustration exploration
I did some research on fashion and form and how clothing can change the appearance of the human body by exploring silhouette and emphasizing different aspects. Following that, I used various designers/pieces as inspiration on a 2d study on form in varying forms of abstraction, and using type as well in some iterations.
Designers that I used as inspiration for these form studies included: Iris Van Herpen, Alexander McQueen, Mugler, and Terrance Zhou.
I did some research on fashion and form and how clothing can change the appearance of the human body by exploring silhouette and emphasizing different aspects. Following that, I used various designers/pieces as inspiration on a 2d study on form in varying forms of abstraction, and using type as well in some iterations.
Designers that I used as inspiration for these form studies included: Iris Van Herpen, Alexander McQueen, Mugler, and Terrance Zhou.
3d fabric manipulation
Through this exploration and ideation of manually creating type through textile manipulation, I realized that this was the route of intersection that I wanted to use to realize and express the overarching thesis topic of death reimaged through the human body. This also cemeted the idea of utilizing fashion, not only as a source of inspiration, but also as a medium and creative outlet.
My education and technical knowledge of graphic design was cemented through rigid and very structured exercises and explorations, so my final year was a grand exploration of: “to break the rules, you must know the rules”. This allowed me to do many explorations in form, color and medium that whilst may not have utilized traditional graphic design techniques, allowed me to further explore another non-traditional element of the practice.
This exploration study consisted mainly of figuring out two things: manipulating fabric at different weights (lightweight sheer fabric and heavyweight fabric) and a pleating study that explored how form can be changed through pleats and how designs can change through physical manipulation.
Through this exploration and ideation of manually creating type through textile manipulation, I realized that this was the route of intersection that I wanted to use to realize and express the overarching thesis topic of death reimaged through the human body. This also cemeted the idea of utilizing fashion, not only as a source of inspiration, but also as a medium and creative outlet.
My education and technical knowledge of graphic design was cemented through rigid and very structured exercises and explorations, so my final year was a grand exploration of: “to break the rules, you must know the rules”. This allowed me to do many explorations in form, color and medium that whilst may not have utilized traditional graphic design techniques, allowed me to further explore another non-traditional element of the practice.
This exploration study consisted mainly of figuring out two things: manipulating fabric at different weights (lightweight sheer fabric and heavyweight fabric) and a pleating study that explored how form can be changed through pleats and how designs can change through physical manipulation.
Finalized Form Renders
The research previously listed and explained all helped in realizing the final forms that this thesis took and what led to the culminations of the finalized designs.
Below is some insight about each design and the meaning between each design and form:
1. Rebirth
This piece was largely inspired by the idea of rebirth. The form became a reinterpretation of one of my 2d illustation studies but was changed to focus largely on the circular part of the belly to almost create this divine light that emerged from it, alluding to both pregnancy and this idea of divinity, alluding to the theory of rebirth and that practice.
The overlaying fabric emphasized more on this divine ball through color and depth in addition to some text—all of which were words that were complete opposites of one another. This was intentional as it alludes to this idea that we don’t know what will become if we ever reincarnate and we truly don’t know what happens after death.
The research previously listed and explained all helped in realizing the final forms that this thesis took and what led to the culminations of the finalized designs.
Below is some insight about each design and the meaning between each design and form:
1. Rebirth
This piece was largely inspired by the idea of rebirth. The form became a reinterpretation of one of my 2d illustation studies but was changed to focus largely on the circular part of the belly to almost create this divine light that emerged from it, alluding to both pregnancy and this idea of divinity, alluding to the theory of rebirth and that practice.
The overlaying fabric emphasized more on this divine ball through color and depth in addition to some text—all of which were words that were complete opposites of one another. This was intentional as it alludes to this idea that we don’t know what will become if we ever reincarnate and we truly don’t know what happens after death.
2. Illusive Space
This piece was more abstract and was more so inspired by and designed in that manner. It utilized form and in order to create this, I studied a lot of chiaroscuro style paintings that balanced a lot of dramatic lighting and seeing how they used color and brightness to guide the eye throughout it.
By the same token, this piece was also inspired a lot by this middle space that is discussed a lot around death, the place that isn’t necessarily hell but not heaven, often known as, limbo or purgatory. As much of my research on this topic revolved around many cultures, religions, and practices, it allowed for there to be different overlap between cultures and a lot of personal choices made when designing, whilst still maintaining the overarching theme.
This piece was more abstract and was more so inspired by and designed in that manner. It utilized form and in order to create this, I studied a lot of chiaroscuro style paintings that balanced a lot of dramatic lighting and seeing how they used color and brightness to guide the eye throughout it.
By the same token, this piece was also inspired a lot by this middle space that is discussed a lot around death, the place that isn’t necessarily hell but not heaven, often known as, limbo or purgatory. As much of my research on this topic revolved around many cultures, religions, and practices, it allowed for there to be different overlap between cultures and a lot of personal choices made when designing, whilst still maintaining the overarching theme.
3. Divinity
This piece was made to look like an abstract version of a body with wings. It is created, much like the past two, by overlaying two separate sheer fabric designs. One is made to look like a skeletal human body whilst the other is more abstract in form, but can then be seen to look like wings once overlayed on top of the other.
Many cultures and religious beliefs rely on this idea of divinity, god, angels, and otherwordly beings. While this thesis wasn’t on proving their existence or highlighting this aspect of it, there is no denying that divinity and divine beings are a part of multiple cultures and wanted to create a piece that helped them realize that importance.
The more abstract piece actually began as another exploration of the 2d exercise of reimagining beauty through form, and if you look closely, you’ll soon see that they’re actually all individual parentheses, yes, these: ( ). But molded and moved in a way to create and emphase this otherwordly being. And that is what inspired the abstract skeletal form, the serif type face that was used to create the abstract form. While you may have thought that the body may have been the first of the two, it was actually more of the opposite.
This piece was made to look like an abstract version of a body with wings. It is created, much like the past two, by overlaying two separate sheer fabric designs. One is made to look like a skeletal human body whilst the other is more abstract in form, but can then be seen to look like wings once overlayed on top of the other.
Many cultures and religious beliefs rely on this idea of divinity, god, angels, and otherwordly beings. While this thesis wasn’t on proving their existence or highlighting this aspect of it, there is no denying that divinity and divine beings are a part of multiple cultures and wanted to create a piece that helped them realize that importance.
The more abstract piece actually began as another exploration of the 2d exercise of reimagining beauty through form, and if you look closely, you’ll soon see that they’re actually all individual parentheses, yes, these: ( ). But molded and moved in a way to create and emphase this otherwordly being. And that is what inspired the abstract skeletal form, the serif type face that was used to create the abstract form. While you may have thought that the body may have been the first of the two, it was actually more of the opposite.
4. More than Materiality
Most material on death and the afterlife have notes and discuss how our soul is tied to our body, and once we die, our soul leaves our physical body, then one of many things can happen (based on the culture or religion), such as rebirth. This inspired this particular piece, and was already an idea I had in mind when I was working on the 3d material exploration portion. I wanted to utilize the body and play with the form of it. Based on the research, it seems that we are tied to a physical body in this life, but our soul isn’t a concrete form and can be ever-changing based on certain cultural and religious theories. By utilizing pleating, and a well recognized form, a woman in a dress, it allowed for this context of something well known changing into something abstract and vice versa.
Most material on death and the afterlife have notes and discuss how our soul is tied to our body, and once we die, our soul leaves our physical body, then one of many things can happen (based on the culture or religion), such as rebirth. This inspired this particular piece, and was already an idea I had in mind when I was working on the 3d material exploration portion. I wanted to utilize the body and play with the form of it. Based on the research, it seems that we are tied to a physical body in this life, but our soul isn’t a concrete form and can be ever-changing based on certain cultural and religious theories. By utilizing pleating, and a well recognized form, a woman in a dress, it allowed for this context of something well known changing into something abstract and vice versa.
5. Release of the Soul
This final piece actually began and was created through the physical creation of the other pieces. All these pieces, and the idea of utilizing fabric/textiles was not pushed by the university, hence I had to research fabric swatches, textiles/fabrics, colors, and test all the theories with physical material all on my own. This also meant I had to sew and source a reliable fabric printing company all on my own. Whilst working on all of this, I recoginized and realized more additional details that would change the apperance and fluidity of the non-traditional printing on paper or digital media. such as creating additional weight for super lightweight fabric, creasing of fabric, etc.
I then began sewing and and idea struck me to work with thread to create one last final piece on canvas. While most of my pieces revolved on the afterlife and/or pieces associated with the afterlife, I didn’t have the grounding piece that tied it back to right at death or before death. The process of death itself is a very interesting one I read about while doing research and how the body shuts down. I wanted to emulate and call attention to the one body part that signifies true physical death, the stopping of the heart.
There are so many nerves and blood vessels tied to and from the heart, and I wanted to create my own version of that utilizing thread and small pins. The canvas itself was wrapped around them, and I created an outline of a real human heart with them as well. I used gold thread on the heart itself to emphasize the importance it plays to life and wanted to use red thread to allude to blood and vessels. This was a very precise piece and required a lot of patience as one mess up could mess up everything. Compared to the other pieces that were sewn together, all that held this piece together were the pins, and if one fell off or if I knocked one over, then the whole piece could collapse.
But this felt like the perfect culmination of it all, because it showed just how fragile our lives can be, and how one small thing, can ultimately be the death of us.
This final piece actually began and was created through the physical creation of the other pieces. All these pieces, and the idea of utilizing fabric/textiles was not pushed by the university, hence I had to research fabric swatches, textiles/fabrics, colors, and test all the theories with physical material all on my own. This also meant I had to sew and source a reliable fabric printing company all on my own. Whilst working on all of this, I recoginized and realized more additional details that would change the apperance and fluidity of the non-traditional printing on paper or digital media. such as creating additional weight for super lightweight fabric, creasing of fabric, etc.
I then began sewing and and idea struck me to work with thread to create one last final piece on canvas. While most of my pieces revolved on the afterlife and/or pieces associated with the afterlife, I didn’t have the grounding piece that tied it back to right at death or before death. The process of death itself is a very interesting one I read about while doing research and how the body shuts down. I wanted to emulate and call attention to the one body part that signifies true physical death, the stopping of the heart.
There are so many nerves and blood vessels tied to and from the heart, and I wanted to create my own version of that utilizing thread and small pins. The canvas itself was wrapped around them, and I created an outline of a real human heart with them as well. I used gold thread on the heart itself to emphasize the importance it plays to life and wanted to use red thread to allude to blood and vessels. This was a very precise piece and required a lot of patience as one mess up could mess up everything. Compared to the other pieces that were sewn together, all that held this piece together were the pins, and if one fell off or if I knocked one over, then the whole piece could collapse.
But this felt like the perfect culmination of it all, because it showed just how fragile our lives can be, and how one small thing, can ultimately be the death of us.
Pictures from YES (Year End Show)/Conclusion
This was a very important and very informative project for myself as it allowed me to explore and see just how many routes and just how expansive the world of design could be and is. It also was a very informative and important study on death that taught me a lot about the philosophy surrounding death.
This was awarded “Best in Contemporary Practice” at the year end show (YES).