Ellie Chappell COP3 Proposal
‘What is good? To what extent does social responsibility impact on the role and function of illustration? My growing interest in the human condition, particularly behaviour and health and well-being has lead to my creative projects revolving around people; what, why and how we all find solutions to every day problems as well as increasing awareness about the ever- changing world around us. I have a huge concern, but also an interest in the way that we interact with technology and social media, particularly the way that a large percentage of the population are living their lives through their mobile phones and not experiencing the ‘real world’ first-hand. Something that I would love to explore would be the ways in which illustrative methods of communication can break through the zombified, narrow-minded, bubbles that people seem to be concealing themselves within. How can the power of illustration inform and inspire the minds that don’t believe that there is more to life than gaining likes on a new profile picture? Additionally, I would like to research further into ways that illustration and other methods of visual communication can be utilised and more valued in the contexts away from those revolving around consumer culture.The 2000 version of the ‘first things first manifesto’ adapted by the Adbusters stresses that ‘many cultural interventions, social marketing campaigns, books, magazines, exhibitions, educational tools, television programmes, films, charitable causes and other information design projects urgently require our expertise and help’. This defines more worthwhile causes that require creative minds to create visual methods of communication in order to solve a problem, that could help people learn, engage and develop in a number of ways, as opposed to feeding their narcissistic ego’s. In particular, the role of art within the healing environment fascinates me, particularly the practice of art therapies and effectiveness of visual recovery aids. This may be a route in particular that my research may be shaped around.