Capstone

Mental Mark

My capstone project ‘Mental Mark’ began with a hypothetical 3D sculpture, one of the initial visual explorations in my thesis journey. This visual exploration was imagined as a part of the Trigger: Gender as a tool and a weapon displayed at the New Museum in 2018. The museum show was based on fluid and inclusive expressions of gendered identity. I created a sculpture with a reflecting surface where you can see yourself as a part of the exhibit itself. When you look into the sculpture, you can have the space to explore the idea of identity and gender and what that means to an individual. This exploration introduced me to look more into how I can invade a physical space, giving people a chance to stop and look at themself in a different context.

The concept of self-reflection and taking a moment to dissect your self-presentation was at the core of the capstone project. As we are built of various layers; and each part of our physical appearance tells a story about our identity. Thus mirrors were suitable material for this project. The challenge here was how can an everyday object like a mirror be turned into something that could intrigue the observers. As at the core, my thesis was about a self, a human. I chose to go with a relatively recognizable human figure. The abstract nature of the human body was a factor in getting more attention and make people stop and observe.

The location of the installation was also an essential factor, as it needed a physical interaction. With the ongoing covid pandemic, physical activity was limited, making it more difficult to find a location. I then decided to use the Pratt Institute’s campus to my advantage. I proposed the idea to the institute, asking for a space on the outer fence of the institute, where not only Pratt students but also people from the neighborhood could interact with the installation. However, the institute’s policy couldn’t allow me to put something outside of campus as they were to take responsibility for any damage caused by it. So, I permitted a space indoor of Pratt school of design lobby, where they provided a safer space considering the perilous nature of mirrors.

The crucial point in shifting a 2D visual in 3D is the production techniques. For my base material, the mirror, I decided to skip the common glass mirror as I chose to go ahead with acrylic mirror, as they are lighter in weight and less dangerous to work with. I was using plastic hooks at the back of the mirror and a thin nylon cord to tie it to the fence for my initial plan. After a few tests on the fence and wall, it seemed to work well, so I decided to stick with it. On the day of installation, I faced a challenge as I failed to consider the mirror’s size, and it was becoming a time-consuming and tedious process to put it up on the wall.

I had to come up with a new solution on the spot that would elevate the mirror and be stable to carry the mirror’s weight. After brainstorming, I planned to use foam sheets with angled cutouts and command strips(strong double-sided tape) to put them up on the wall. After some trial and error, I figured out how to create an angle with the foam sheet, and it turned out to work perfectly. The installation has been up for over two months and hasn’t fallen or moved out of the place.

Mental Mark invites people to see a fragmented version of self and how these different parts of them play a role in their identity. The artist’s statement accompanies it says- “Clothes were invented to protect the physical body from the surrounding. However, with the evolution of the human race, it gained new meaning and became a part of an individual’s identity. With the expansion of clothing and accessories, new connotations were created, showing a part of who we are through visual appearance. Mental Mark divides these parts of your visual identity in various forms to see how these parts build up your self- identity. As humans, we consciously or unconsciously have various personas of self, which can affect our lives in different situations. How can we use our material extension to alter or develop our identity? “

After observing, some people felt confused about what they should do in front of the installation, so the note provides instructions to interact with it. It also links back to Mental Mark’s Instagram account and hashtag, where I have built a profile to promote and collect participant’s stories. The experience concludes with a QR code on the statement, which leads to an online form where I ask them few questions about how they feel about Mental Mark? What does the installation make them think about? How do you think the Mental Mark can be expanded or enhanced? These questions were directed to make them reflect on selfpresentation but were reasonably vague so participants can add their interpretations.

As the installation was situated beside an elevator, which most people used in the building, it gained quite a lot of interaction. I received over 25 participation images with the installation. My audiance at school was mostly design student, faculty and staff members.

To make the experience more coherent, I decided to give Mental Mark an identity of its own. The identity represents the layers of self that have been built through our cultural, religious, and geographical surroundings. The primary colors of the logo mark are black, white, and orange. Orange color stimulates activity and our ability to socialize, which is at the core of my thesis and capstone project. The logo is used in social media as well as the artist’s statement beside the installation.

With the pandemic and restricted campus accessibility, I wanted to make a digital version for the installation. I designed a filter that people from any geographical location can access through Mental Mark’s Instagram account. This digital installation increased up the participants and gave them a glimpse of the actual structure. Participants used this filter with front and rear cameras, creating more creative visuals and interpretations. I gained over 20 images of participation from various countries.

Feedback

Over two months with the installation at Pratt, I received numerous feedback from the observers via the online form. To my surprise, participants made various interpretations while experiencing it. Most of them enjoyed the photo-taking quality of the installation. The distortion effect on some mirrors added more mystery to the experience. To many people, it reminded them of a funny mirror found in carnivals or theme parks. To many, it was a positive experience like this observer said, “It in a way made me look at myself in an objective light, so i didn’t get as self-conscious as i normally would.” However, it also ignited negative feelings from past experiences when they were judges based on their appearance. For example, an observer said, “Entertained but also felt self critical of self.”

I believe what worked well is the fragmentation of the body and how it forms various layers of self. Here are some interpretations about how spectators feel about it “I somehow feel separated from my body, almost like looking at myself from others’ perspective.” Another observer said, “I mostly see the mirror as a whole, but the installation gave me a chance to think of myself (appearance) more separately.”

While they also provided me suggestions in which this installation could be expanded or improved in the future. Some recommendations were more technical, like adding, giving them more sense behind the installation’s intent and ideology. There were more suggestions with the installation form like multidimensional, adding more mirrors to form more interpretations, or even introducing some colors or text on the mirrors. These suggestions made me think about pushing and creating multiple installation variations in the future.

During this time, I also approached some industry professionals to get their opinion on Mental Mark. I talked to a total of six industry professionals who primarily work in the exhibition/ experience design space. Most of them were enticed by the concept of identity/ self-presentation and the use of multiple mirrors to reflect someone’s identity back at them. While fragmented mirrors sounded a solid concept for most but Meital Gueta, a senior designer at Thinc Design, felt that mirrors weren’t as strong as they are an everyday object which we see every day. She did agree that fragmentation does bring a new layer of information to the familiar thing. While most of the installation was thought to be a great starting point, they all have similar suggestions to expand the experience.

Robert Concepcion, a creative director in New York, imaged it double the size in an open ground that could create more impact on the viewer. Most of them suggested making it multisensory by adding sound or smell or touch for additional intervention. Karen Vanderbilt, a senior exhibition designer at Local Projects, suggested thinking about the overall experience. How can a room be designed around the installation to create more drama, or how can different lighting affect the viewers. Fletch Park suggested that as the concept talks about altering the identity, why not provide a few props like wigs, makeup, accessories, or clothes that users can use to change their identity at that moment.

These suggestions made me think about experience design in various ways. The aspiration is to guide people around the topic but give them space to create interpretations.

Industry Professionals: Karen Vanderbilt, Robert Concepcion, Fletch Park, Vishnu Uppalapati, Meital Gueta, and Vivek Sheth.