“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
—Ghandi
For three years, I have been exploring key issues that are of great concern to me both as designer and as a citizen of the world. My interest in sustainability began when I read Al Gore’s essay entitled “The Moment of Truth” in Vanity Fair’s first “green” issue in April, 2006. It served as a wake up call to me about the state of the planet and the role humans play in it. I was inspired not only to make changes in my lifestyle but to also create a poster series entitled “Go Green” that would hopefully inspire people to take action as well. My intent was to design ten visually appealing posters, each one with a “green tip” for living a greener life.
The medium is the message.
My artistic project attempts to demonstrate two things: 1) a green design from concept to completion and 2) how a green design can be used as an effective instrument for social change. To achieve this, I made my own sheets of paper by recycling shredded credit card offers and other junk mail which I collected for three months. The designs were silk screened using water-based environmentally friendly inks.
The idea of “making a difference” seems to be overused in this day and age but that is the ultimate goal of this project. I hope to inspire designers as well as individuals to do their part to preserve our precious planet. After all, it is the only home we’ve got.
The future IS green. The future IS now.
Jacine Arias