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Semiotic Still Life
Much of the practice of graphic design has to do with the making of meaning by manipulating signs and symbols, analogy, metaphor, symbolism, signification, and communication. Create a still life with 5 – 15 objects that symbolically represent your influences, inspirations and needs as a designer. Work by MICA seniors. How-to Project
Eleni Agapis, 2017
mountain dew: for artificiality and excess, also caffeine / flowers: for aesthetic beauty / fish: absurdity and discomfort / sculpture: influence of my peers and teachers / cross: influence of history & roots / pencil: for the importance of tactility / lemon: because work is hard / lime: for balance
Reyna Clarissa, 2017
spoon: for the culinary world / light bulb: for ideation / cotton pad: for cleanliness / tape: for something tactile / ruler: for proximity / paper towel holder: for form and function / binding coil: for production and printed matter / push pins: for embracing process and imperfection / glass: for being transparent / beads: for quantity over quality
Drew Laskowski, 2017
in memory of myself one year ago, an era of rigidity, exhaustion, and thoughtless ambition / spilled milk: because life is not a scheduled affair, and hindsight shows there was never any sense in crying / glass half-full: for perseverance and the embrace of life in all its unpredictable forms
Haerin Kim, 2017
peeled orange: reaching the true purpose in design / banana: it is yellow but the inside is white, need a surprising moment and creativity / pomegranate: as there are many seeds in one fruit, there are various people inside one world / spoon: to share and deliver my ideas to viewers / leaf mint: makes mouth fresh and organized after eating, designers think broad to narrow and need arrangement at the end; design also has artificial quality
Clay Smith, 2017
shell: for hearing the thoughts from all the people around me / necklace: the support from my family and friends / pink blob: the belief that playfulness, wackiness and fun is vital to life and design / stones: the pressures of life that sometimes help motivate me / drift wood: for a connection with the natural world / fake rose: to represent the Internet as the ultimate frenemy / mirror: looking to past pieces of work to help inform present projects / metal letter form: the importance of creation outside a digital space / digital tools: visual language that connects all different people to the world of design
Ashley Wu, 2017
books: to keep my mind intellectually stimulated and constantly growing / current reading list: “slaughterhouse-five” vonnegut; “make your mark” 99u; “how i shed my skin” grimsley; “coming out like a porn star” lee; “the where, the why, and the how” volvovski, rothman, lamothe / plants: to at least attempt a healthy life / calendar: to manage my status of an overworked student / warby parker glasses: to fashionably and consciously dress up my sight impairment / mom: to always be inspired and strong / clementine: to fondly remember my childhood / key chain: to never forget my family and culture / festival flyer: to remind myself to take a break and enjoy the music / coffee: to keep me energized to face the day’s challenges
Taylor Simpson, 2016
frame: articulation of an opinion / sunlight: comfort and motivation / milk: childhood curiosity and lack of fear / mirror: honesty and criticism / notebook: blank space for doing what I please / pen: for notes / watch: time for work and time away / rocks: flexibility and ability to change thought processes / cutting mat: precision is my friend /flour: a need for interaction to create something wonderful / box: architecture as inspiration / book: love for reading and creative writing / leaves: a rejuvenated mind
Marissa C deBaca, 2016
mirror: for awareness and reflection, the best tools to create a polished idea and a polished designer / blue background: understanding and utilizing color effectively is one of my favorite assets as a designer. plus, a rich and bright blue is my current favorite color / fake sky: memorabilia for daytime because i am almost always working inside and at night / cracked egg: for process, because mine is often chaotic and unconfined / uncracked egg: for product, because i try to take all of my process, half-cooked ideas and bring them into refinement to create a delicate but strong outcome
Nick Fogarty, 2015
mirror: for awareness and reflection, the best tools to create a polished idea and a polished designer / blue background: understanding and utilizing color effectively is one of my favorite assets as a designer. plus, a rich and bright blue is my current favorite color / fake sky: memorabilia for daytime because i am almost always working inside and at night / cracked egg: for process, because mine is often chaotic and unconfined / uncracked egg: for product, because i try to take all of my process, half-cooked ideas and bring them into refinement to create a delicate but strong outcome
Chris Chester, 2015
Brown Index Box: A box of childhood memories. / VANS: My favorite (retired) pair of vans. / Headphones & iPhone: Music helps me focus. It is essential. / Black Moleskin: My book of everything. / Neff Beanie: I adorn my hats with pins. This one says “good vibes only.” / Black Wallet: An 18th birthday gift from my first boss. / Lego Keychain: A gift from my Mother when I got my first car. It has eroded over time. / Fantasy: A book of modern poems by Ben Fama. One of my favorite readings from this summer. / Macbook Pro: No stickers, purely naked. / micron & ruler: The mark makers. / The Great Discontent: I’m fascinated by people who do what they love for work. This magazine interviews people doing just that. / Akira: A manga by Katsuhiro Otomo. / Empty Poster Tube: I collect prints. Some from MICA students, and elsewhere.
Rahul Shinde
A practice subdivided into three parts: a mask (Life a Users Manual by G. Perec and The Character of Physical Law by R. Feynman) occupies the surface, a series of systems constructed under the guise of clarity. Mimicry of such form becomes a means of justification, attempting to align method with something distinctly external. Beneath the mask lies the individual (Freedom from the Known by J. Krishnamurti and Hell Screen by R. Akutagawa), plagued with constructed anxieties that exist as a byproduct of its desires. Internal monologues fight to reveal themselves but are ultimately suppressed through the mask. Finally, an unstable foundation (Theater, Bühne by O. Schlemmer and Six Memos for the Next Millenium by I. Calvino ) is placed beneath the individual. A reflection of core values, structurally sound, which ironically marks its only point of weakness.
Fumi Omori
Design of Design by Kenya Hara: Design Bible / iPhone: I have been an iPhone user since the beginning / Magic mouse: Must-have tool for working in design / Earphones: I heart music / Tokyo Metro map: Cultural influence / Squared mirror plastic: Inspiration + Experience / Glasses: Security + Fashion essential / Sweets (Haribo Gummy Bears + Trolli Sour Brite Eggs): Addiction. I cannot stop eating them / Froot Loops: I love starting a day with colorful breakfast
Hennie Yeh, 2014
The Great Gatsby, music from Baz Luhrmann’s film: Music appreciation / Blank Slate by Cordelia Craigie: Endless templates / Batman, L’il Gotham: Illustration inspiration / Gatsby (((Moving Rubber))): Requirement for style / Snapback: Fashion essential / Apple gift card: Apple necessities / New York City railway handy map: NY love / Popobe + Pon de Lion Key Chain: Asian pop culture / Fur swatch, Mood: Designer fabrics
Hilary Ament, 2014
Skeleton: Morbid curiosity / Photograph: Fascinating distance from the past / Fabric: Color is necessary, balance the dark with vibrant / Doll hand: How items change and evolve over time / Candles: Simply, hope / Beads: For the texture, and because I don’t believe every visual element needs to serve a purpose
Jen Doyle, 2014
The Doors vinyl album: Music is one of my passions and forms of expression / Disposable camera: I love to capture memories and things for inspiration / Sketchbooks: I use my sketchbooks to collect my thoughts and ideas / Pen: I use a pen to sketch and write down ideas / Purple Magazine: I collect magazines and I am really inspired by French fashion, art and culture / Glasses: I need glasses to see all the fine details in life / Guitar pick: I enjoy playing guitar and making music / Passport: Traveling inspires me as a designer by experiencing different cultures and places / Knife: This iridescent colored knife is a useful tool and fun to look at / Leather jacket: I am inspired by punk rock music and fashion / Amethyst rock: I am inspired by natural forms and the color purple / Succulent plant: I enjoy having plants around my studio as a designer
Isabel Harris
Spotify Premium: For music WNYC / NPR: For news Fast Company / Design: For design news and interesting articles Great Discontent: For inspiration Dazed Digital: For new music Pinterest: For inspiration and obsessing Perezhilton: For indulging To Do lists: Out of necessity Sight Unseen: For inspiration
Renan Machado, 2014
Water Bottle: because water is life and a bottle is containment / Clock with no numbers: for losing track of time / Melting Trophy: for a fictional competition / Clip-on Bowtie: for special occasions / Bong & Red Solo Cups: for the homies / Post-it note on Design: from Nicolas / Pineapple from Under the Sea: for my inner child / Nude Portraits: for taking a risk / Astroglide™ Lubricant: for fluid sexual preferences / Midi Keyboard: for music / Plastic Seaweed: for my aquarium / Oils for Casting off Evil: for my protection / Ruler, Scissors, Paint, and Tape: for my passion / Cutting Mat: for my blade