Here, Here, Hear
2019
The Culmination Project.
The project aimed for the student to exhibit their ability to comprehensively apply typographic principles learned throughout the course within their project. I chose to capture what it means to be Here- to be present.
Here, Here, Hear, was made to emphasize the different meanings the word, “here” presents. The first here holds intentions of giving something to another. The second meaning “presence” in a current place or time. And the last is in the act of listening. Each of these meanings represents an alternative perspective I took in my project in order to better understand the humanity people open up to by sharing their stories. The intimacy that can be had between strangers.
Process
I began by constructing a large “Here” sign using cardboard, newspaper, old toys, and trash found around my city. I began the letters “H” and “E” by attaching childhood toys that slowly transitioned themselves into attachments of empty bottles, old and torn love letters, and essentially the representations of familiar life cycles on “R” and “E”.
As we grow older, we begin to worship new things in our personal lives. We eventually lose our “child-like” point of view to the reality of suffering, love, and redemption in the world.
After creating my sign, I walked around the city of Denver, Colorado asking strangers what it meant for them to “be Here” at this point in their lives.
Answers of past struggles and forgotten hope combat stories of innocent wonder driven by curiosity of new lives ready to unfold. This diversity in language, voices, and life paths provoked the intimacy between strangers I had hoped to interpret through my piece.
Final Deliverable
I recorded the responses of my volunteers and then brought the audio together in an anonymous string of stories. I also captured a photo of my participants using a disposable camera.
Listen to the Project . . . Here
all audio and footage was recorded and edited by myself.