1. Colomina, B. and Wigley, M. (2016). Are we human? : notes on an archaeology of design. Zürich, Switzerland: Lars Mul̈ler, pp.96–101.
In their book “Are We Human?: Notes on an Archaeology of Design,” the authors argue that design aspires to redefine humanity. We inhabit an era where everything is designed, enveloped in countless layers of design that shape our daily experiences. We essentially live within design. The entire planet has been encrusted by design, forming a geological layer. Human impact is evident in the land, oceans, atmosphere, plants, and animals.
The rapid loss of biodiversity is exacerbated by habitat destruction, overfishing, overhunting, industrial chemicals, pollution, and the accelerating pace of climate change due to fossil fuel combustion. Human designs extend beyond cultural and technical artifacts found in museums; they encompass the precarious movements of refugees, the collapse of biodiversity, and the pervasive presence of black carbon in the air and soil (Colomina & Wigley, 2016).
Design is the most human thing about us, design what makes us human. We designed the whole planet with exponential expansion and conquered it. There is hardly any dimension of the natural world that has not been effected by human activity. We systematically designed our own extinction.
Colomina, B. and Wigley, M. (2016). Are we human? : notes on an archaeology of design. Zürich, Switzerland: Lars Mul̈ler, pp.96–101.
From an environmentalist point of view, I totally agree with Colomina and Wigley. We have gone too far in redesigning the world and have carelessly damaged our planet. The authors suggest that we have designed our own extinction, which I agree with. However, this doesn’t mean we can solely blame the designers. Who is truly responsible? Is it the designers working for big energy companies? Or their money-driven bosses who give the orders? Or the careless country leaders who refuse to make laws that protect the planet?
The authors also encourage us to rethink the philosophy of design in relation to social media and our constant addiction to seeing and being seen.
I love the design elements that surround me in my everyday life—my clothes, the little gadgets in my house that make life easier, and social media. I mostly use social media to view the work of designers from around the world, which I wouldn’t be able to see otherwise. I like that design is helping me reinvent myself with new design artifacts. The authors discuss how the new social self-image is distancing us from being human. It definitely changes the way we live, but we are still human. Adapting and changing is our most basic survival tool, and I believe change is necessary to be better. However, the important thing is that we need to search ways to improve and change without damaging our home, our planet.
After reading my first reference several times, I realized I needed to research our habits of overconsumption and their impact on the environment. I wanted to understand which human behaviors are contributing to the collapse of our planet. So that brings us to my second reference:
2. Park, J.T. (2015). Climate Change and Capitalism. Consilience, [online] 14(2), pp.189–206. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26188749
Park argues that capitalism fails to accurately value natural resources, leading to environmental degradation. Fossil fuels, although economically valuable, pose a severe threat to life on Earth if consumed in large quantities. The text calls for a shift to clean, renewable energy sources through global cooperation and significant changes in our social and economic systems. (Park, 2015)
Capitalism’s drive to extract and consume natural resources for immediate economic gain leads to significant misvaluation, ignoring long-term environmental costs. This system’s survival-of-the-fittest mindset perpetuates a cycle where capital begets more capital, making the rich richer and the poor poorer. Achieving infinite growth necessitates a large number of “losers,” creating profound injustice and posing a significant threat to humanity.
So capitalism’s inability to address environmental issues creates an urge in me to translate these ideas into accessible and compelling visuals that can raise awareness. I have a clear idea of who is responsible for the climate issue, and it is the capitalist system that we are living in. At this point in my research, I aim to find recent data that shows the social and climate inequalities among people and turn it into a compelling visual.
3. Oxfam (2020). OXFAM MEDIA BRIEFING CONFRONTING CARBON INEQUALITY. [online]
The briefing reveals extreme carbon inequality over recent decades and its exacerbation of the climate crisis. The analysis underscores that the wealthiest 10% disproportionately contribute to emissions, depleting the global carbon budget and intensifying climate risks for vulnerable populations. Urgent action is urged, advocating for policies targeting high-emission luxury consumption, promoting renewable energy, and prioritizing social dialogue for just transitions to a sustainable economy. (Oxfam Media, 2020)
Climate change poses a challenge to human rights by disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable people globally. Despite their limited role in causing the problem, individuals in low-income countries bear the brunt of climate change’s consequences.
In my visual research, I chose to represent the data differently, using circles. As I progressed in my research, I found that presenting the data through optical art, particularly using circles, offered a more accessible starting point.
The data really shows the injustice in climate context I wanted to iterate it visually and explore the new ways to present it. However, I felt a sense of dissatisfaction with the frequent use of the terms “rich” and “poor.” Reducing people’s experiences and identities to mere economic status felt wrong. So I searched for other word pairings to effectively represent these socioeconomic distinctions.
| “rich” | “poor” |
| financially secure | economically challenged |
| privileged | resourceful |
| abundant resources | limited means |
I found the term “resourceful” quite compelling when referring to the vulnerable 50% of the global population. These individuals, despite making minimal contributions to harming our planet, exhibit remarkable resourcefulness. They are the best examples how to live efficiently and responsibly with limited resources, making them true masters of sustainable living.
4. MACKNIK, S. L., & MARTINEZ-CONDE, S. (2013). Your Twisted Little Mind. Scientific American Mind, 23(6), 15–17. http://www.jstor.org/stable/24921664
In the second week of my research, I discovered a deep interest in optical art. This realization led me to the idea of juxtaposing optical art with data visualization. I found a short but insightful article from a magazine that really influenced my approach, so I added it to my references (Macknik & Martinez-Conde, 2013). This article provided valuable insights that I integrated into my work, enhancing both the visual and informational impact of my data presentations.
The article starts by explaining how our retinas detect edges and how tweaking these edges can distort our perception. This insight is fundamental for me as a graphic designer who wants to create some kind of an optical art, as understanding how viewers perceive boundaries can guide the creation of visually compelling and effective designs. Utilizing edge detection principles can enhance the clarity and impact of a design, especially when considering contrast and color use to define object boundaries.
Circular reasoning in visual perception refers to how certain visual effects can alter our perception of simple shapes, such as circles, making them appear different from their true form. This concept is tied to the brain’s interpretation of visual information and how it can be tricked by specific patterns and arrangements of visual elements. One key aspect of this is the Twisted Cords Effect. When simple shapes like circles are surrounded or intersected by twisted cords (alternating black-and-white lines), our brain perceives distortions that are not actually present. This effect demonstrates how local visual elements, such as alternating black-and-white bricks, can have significant global consequences on our perception of a shape. For instance, circles can appear to have corners or be misshapen when, in fact, they are perfectly round. These concepts are the most enjoyable to work with and are easy to apply, making them my favorite among the other techniques for creating engaging and dynamic data visualization.
5. Blaze IV, BRIDGET RILEY [Emulsion on hardboard] (1964).
As I was getting into the world of optical art, I came across the renowned English painter Bridget Riley, famous for her mesmerizing op art paintings. One of her works, “Blaze IV,” particularly captivated my attention. Riley employed twisted cords and similar patterns around simple black-and-white shapes, adding depth and complexity to otherwise flat designs. This technique not only enhances the visual appeal but also creates a dynamic interaction between the viewer and the artwork.
I find these methods incredibly engaging and visually stimulating, inspiring me to incorporate similar techniques into my own designs. By imitating and iterating Riley’s approach, I aim to add a new dimension to my work, making it more compelling and interactive. This exploration pushes me to experiment with patterns and optical illusions, ultimately striving to create designs that are both aesthetically pleasing and memorable.
Incorporating the data to the circular shape that I imitated from Riley.
6. Roser, M. (2024) Humans destroyed forests for thousands of years – we can become the first generation that achieves a world in which forests expand, Our World in Data. Available at: https://ourworldindata.org/global-forest-transition (Accessed: 17 May 2024).
The latest iteration of my work reminded me a floral theme, urging me to incorporate a reference to the destruction of our natural resources and the ongoing biodiversity loss. On of the main threat to biodiversity loss is deforestation. Agricultural expansion is the main driver behind nearly 90% of deforestation, highlighting the severe impact of human activity on our environment.
During my research, I discovered a disturbing dataset from ourworldindata.org. The data basically shows how humans have systematically destroyed forests over thousands of years. At the end of the ice age, approximately 57% of the world’s habitable land was forested. Since then, people across all regions have continuously burned and cut down forests. The chart below from the article vividly illustrates this decline, showing that the forested land area has decreased from 6 billion to 4 billion hectares. This means humans eliminated one-third of the original forests—an area twice the size of the United States.
Inspired by this data, I recreated the recent graph using a circular representation, which you can see here:
Then I add the op art part and iterate…