Shifting Homelands by Supriya Kalidas

{ M FA T H E S I S // S U P R I YA K A L I DA S }

‘

esis’ is the Greek word for ‘position’ . A thesis states a position with the intent to prove or support it through sound reasoning and factual evidence.

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

{ DESIGNER }

MFA THESIS

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

ACADEMY OF ART UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF GR APHIC DESIGN

ÂŠ 2008 SUPR I YA K A LIDAS A l l r i g h t s reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced Or trans m i t t e d i n a n y f orm or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including pho t o c o p y w i t h o u t prior permission In writing from the designer. ACA DEMY OF ART UNIV ER SIT Y SCHOOL OF GR APHIC DESIGN 79 N E W M O N T G O M E R Y S T. S A N F R A N C I S C O, C A 9 410 5 { PROJECT } M FA T h esis { INSTRUCTORS } P h i l H a mlett / Tom Sieu / Michael Sainato { DE SIGN // W R I T I NG // PHOTO GR A PH Y } S u p r i y a Kalidas { SIZE } 9 X 1 2 I nches { T Y PEFACES } L a p i d a r y / Letter Gothic / Univers { S OF T WA R E } A d o b e P hotoshop CS2 / Illus trator CS2 / Indesign CS2 { CAMER A } N i k o n D 80 { PR INTER } E p s o n S tylus Photo R1800 { COV ER M ATER I A L } P a p e r S ource Oyster Book Cloth { TEXT STOCK } R e d R i v er 50lb Premium Double-sided Matte { ENDSHEET STOCK } C a n f o r d Paper, Red { BINDER } T h e K e y Printing and Binding, Oakland, CA

{ FOR E WOR D } A n M FA thesis in graphic design is a weight y, self- directed project on a topic of the stu d ent â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s c ho ic e. I t is d r i ven by ex tensi ve rese arc h , c r itic al think in g le a d in g to an info r me d p o int of v iew su p p o r te d by rese arc h an d in d e p en d ent thinking. It is an oppor tunit y for students, not only to demonstrate their own an al y tic al an d d esig n sk ills , b u t also to ex p l o re the p ower of g r a p hic d esig n as a c ommunic ation to ol that c an of ten transcend b arriers. C onsequentl y, the to p ic s ex p l o re d are of ten sig nific ant in ter ms of uni ver s al im p lic atio ns , yet also deepl y p ersonal. A thesis projec t culminates in a visual, ex p eriential p ie c e th at em b o d ies the d esig ner â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique vo ic e an d p o int of v iew.

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SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

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“R E M E M BE R , R E M E M BE R A LWAYS , T H AT A L L O F U S A R E D E S C E N D E D F R O M I M M IGR A N T S A N D R E VOL U T ION I S T S .” – Franklin Delano Roosevelt

{ TA BL E OF C ON T E N T S }

{ FOR EWOR D }

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{ PROJEC T OV ERV IE W } Project Summar y

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T hesis C omponents

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W hy A meric a?

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01 { C ONC E P T DE V E L OPM E N T }

Defining the problem

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T he S olution

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02 { BR A NDING & IDEN TIT Y }

Logo Development

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Final Identit y

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Stationer y

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03 { THE EXHIBIT }

Cultural M arketplace

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Venue

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G aller y Floor- plans

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G aller y - A layouts

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G aller y - B layouts

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04 { EXHIBIT PROMOTION }

Multicultural S alad Bowl

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E xhibition C atalog

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Website

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Postc ards

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T ickets

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Tags

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Environmental Adver tising 0 9 8 { CONCLUSION }

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{ TH A NK YOU }

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{ PROJECT }

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MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ PROJEC T SU M M A RY }

The primar y objective of my thesis project is to recognize America’ s long histor y as a nation of immig rants, and to celebrate the positive impact that immig ration has had on American culture and way of life. T he primar y go al of this thesis projec t is to p ave the p ath for continued

means of retaining their ethnic identit y. Many of them, like the pizza and

cultural exchange bet ween A meric ans and new immigrants, so that we

ap ple pie have assimilated to b ec ome sy mb ols of our national identit y.

may c ontinue to be true to our nation’s de fac to mot to, E pluribus unum

W hat this means is that A meric a has soaked up influences from all other

– out of many, one. T he outcome of this project is an exhibit and visual

cultures, but created something distinctly A meric an, something which

narrative that uses the met aphor of A meric an cultural icons as a way to

is the sy nerg y of all the var ious cultures w ithin the U nite d St ates . I t is

understand and interpret A merica’s immigrant identit y. By reminding us

this process of give - and - take and assimilation that has made A meric a a

that all A meric ans are united by a shared immigrant heritage, the exhibit

microcosm of the rest of world.

paves the path for a better understanding of America’s unique position in the world as a nation of nations.

A NATION OF NATIONS T he exhibit is organized around the themes of Food, Spor t and L anguage.

A C ULT UR A L MOSA IC

T h e n a r r a t i ve i s c o n s t r u c te d w i t h e m p h a s i s o n t h e h i s to r y, f a c t s a n d

A nthropologists define culture as “the way of life for an entire societ y”.

statistics surrounding specific A meric an cultural icons using the medium

A s a nation of immigrants from the 19 th to the 21st centur y, the United

of illustration, tex t, objects and interactive displays. T he primar y target

St ates h as b een a re c ipient as mu c h as an ex p or ter of g lo b al culture,

audience is residents of the United States bet ween the ages of 20 – 4 0.

a n d a s te a d y s t re a m of i m m i g r a nt s h a s b e e n a n i m p o r t a nt s o u rc e of

H owever, it is im p o r t ant th at the ex hib it an d it s mes s a g e b e a c c es sib le

A m e r i c a’s c u l tu r a l v i t a li t y a n d d i ve r si t y. O ve r t h e ye a r s , im mi g r a nt s

to p e o p l e o f v a r i e d s o c i a l a n d c u l t u r a l u p b r i n g i n g w h o a re c u r re nt l y

from all over the world have brought pieces of their native culture as a

residing in the United States.

{ DESCRIPTION }

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PROJECT OVERVIEW

{ THESIS COM PONEN TS }

{ IDENTITY SYSTEM } { SCOPE }

{ FUNCTION }

Logo

T he identit y system is the first step in the

Stationer y system

creation of a cohesive visual system for the project materials.

{ PROJECT WEBSITE } { SCOPE }

Website

{ FUNCTION }

The website creates awareness about the project and utilizes the capacity of the medium to reach a wide audience. It ser ves as a common universal platform to invite participation in the project and share thoughts, ideas, stories and resources.

{ EXHIBITION } { SCOPE }

{ FUNCTION }

Determine venue

The exhibit explores the histor y and impact of

Planning + Design

immigration on American culture. It is the perfect

S c ale drawings

opportunity for a diverse group of individuals to

3 D M odel

come together in a common setting and share their unique immigrant histories.

{ PROMOTION } { SCOPE }

{ FUNCTION }

Poster series

T his cohesive set of materials is designed to

M ailer

create awareness and a buz z about the project,

T ickets

while also providing information about the

Environmental ads

exhibit.

{ E X H I BI T TA K E - AWAY S } { SCOPE }

{ FUNCTION }

E xhibition C atalog

H andouts and takeaways at the exhibit enable

Postc ards

the project to live on in the outside world beyond

Merchandise

the scope of the exhibit.

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{ PROJECT }

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{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ W H Y A M ER ICA? }

The United States ...i s not me rely a nation , but a teeming Nation of Nations . – Walt W hit man

WE AR E ALL IM MIGR ANTS

T HE CH A NGING FACE OF A M ER ICA

M ore so today than at any other point in histor y, the United States is

For over t wo centuries. A meric a has seen a stead y influx of immigrants

a nation of immigrants. A meric a represents the largest migration to

from all over the globe. Prior to 19 6 5 , nine out of ten immigrants were

a sin g le n ation in all of hum an histor y – an am azing t wo - third s of all

from Europe or C anada. N ow, more than half come from A sia or Mexico.

the immigration in the world consists of people entering the U.S. T he

In the c ourse of a d ay, the average A meric an enc ounters at least five

one thing that is common to the three hundred million people living in

p e o p le fro m d if ferent cultures . O ne ou t of ever y t wo k nows so me o ne

A meric a today – save the N ative A meric ans – is a common immigrant

w ho c ame to the U. S . in the p ast few ye ar s . T his eno r m ous sc ale of

her it a g e. N e ar l y ever y A mer ic an famil y h as stor ies of anc estor s w ho

migration is rapidly and permanently changing the face of A merica. It is

risked life and limb to make it to the United States. We are a societ y of

altering A meric a’s racial makeup, landsc ap es and cit ysc ap es, t aste in

immigrants, each of whom have begun life anew, on an equal footing.

food and clothes and music, its entire perception of itself and its way of

T h o u g h mi g r at i o n i s a u ni ve r s a l p h e n o m e n o n a n d i s n ot exc lu si ve to the United States, A meric an immigration represents a microcosm of g l o b al mig ration. Per se cute d for their relig ious b eliefs , a long line of

life. T here have long been Chinatowns in A merican cities, but now there is a L it tle H avana in Miami, Koreatown in Los A ngeles, L it tle S aigon in Orange C ount y, L it tle O dessa in Brooklyn.

men and women have taken refuge in A meric a ever since the Pilgrims

T he sc ale of mig r atio n is c er t ain to a c c eler ate in the fo rese e a b le fu ture

l a n d e d at P l y m o u t h R o c k . B a r re d f ro m t h e ir h o m e l a n d s a s e n e mi e s of

due to growing global population and shrinking global resources. But how

state, dissidents have come to A meric a so that their voices will not be

tolerant is the average A meric an to the increasing number of immigrants

silenced. Looking for a better life for themselves and their families, most

in his o r her env iro nment? I mmig r ant s are o ne of the m ost v ulner a b le

immigrants have seen America as a promised land. Searching for safet y,

g ro u p s i n s o c i et y. W h e n p e o p l e c ro s s a b o r d e r, n ot o n l y a re t h e i r o w n

four million refu g ees h ave c o me to A mer ic a sinc e Wor l d War I I . D raw n

understandings of themselves and their surroundings transformed, but

to the possibilities of a free societ y, creative spirits have flourished in an

they find that others’ reaction to them has changed as well. A ssimilation

environment which rewards talent and hard work. People have flocked to

into their new c o mmunit y must b e fa c ilit ate d by a c c e pt an c e of their

A merica’s shores in the pursuit of the ver y things this countr y stands for

host s . At the s ame time, it is es senti al to instill a fe elin g of p r id e an d

– freedom, liber t y and oppor tunit y. T hough the faces have changed over

c o mmunit y in new immig r ant s , an d re c o n c ile their ethnic id entities w ith

time, the reasons remain the same.

their new home.

{ DESCRIPTION }

IMPORTANCE AND RELEVANCE

{ O N E I N N I N E P E O P L E L I V I N G I N A M E R I C A T O D A Y I S A F I R S T- G E N E R AT I O N I M M I G R A N T. }

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SHIFTING HOMELANDS

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{ 16 0 0 s – 170 0 s } British colonial expansion into America began in the late 16th centur y before reaching its peak after colonies were established throughout the Americas.

{ 16 0 0 – 1850 } The Transatlantic Slave Trade to the New World caused the forced migration of millions of Africans predominantly into the American South.

{ 18 6 0 – 18 9 0 } Irish of all classes emigrated to the United States as a result of the potato famine. German political refugees emigrated following the failure of a revolution. { 18 9 0 – 19 0 0 } Italians fleeing grinding rural poverty migrated to the U.S. from Southern Italy and Sicily,

{ DESCRIPTION }

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

{ 19 0 0 – 1910 } The anti- Semitic violence of the Russian pogroms drove millions of Jews out of the Russian Empire into the United States seeking political asylum.

{ 18 4 8 – 18 82 } Fueled by news of the California Gold Rush, young Chinese men arrived in America with hopes of striking it rich. This wave ended with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 18 82. { 1965 – PR E SE N T } The 19 6 4 Immigration and Nationality Act re - opened the doors to Asian immigrants, who continue to come in pursuit of profitable white collar jobs.

{ 1910 – 1930 } Revolution in Mexico and a strong U.S. economy brought a tremendous increase in Mexican immigration rates. { 1965 – PR E SE N T } The current wave of immigration from Mexico and Latin America is fueled by poverty, political upheaval and lack of opportunity at home.

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SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ CONCEP T DE V ELOPM E N T }

Immigrants are one of the most vulnerable groups in societ y. Ef fective assimilation of immigrants can only be achieved by empathy and acceptance from the host communit y.

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

{ THE PROBLEM } I m m i g r a t i o n i nto A m e r i c a h a s b e e n b e s et b y c o nt ro ve r s y t h ro u g h o u t

T he cultur al exc h an g e th at immig r atio n foster s m ake the U nite d St ates

histor y. A meric ans have always been ambivalent about immigration and

richer and more diverse, and immigrant labor fills ver y essential spaces

immigrants despite their own immigrant past. T here has, in some circles,

in the A meric an work force. T he sc ale of migration is cer tain to accelerate

been a sense of bigotr y towards newer immigrants entering the United

in the foreseeable future due to growing population and shrinking global

St ates . T hey h ave b een v iewe d as ste alin g A mer ic an jo bs an d d ilu tin g

resourc es . N ot o nl y must A mer ic ans st ar t to o p en their min d s , it is also

A meric an culture despite evidence to the contrar y.

essential to instill a feeling of pride and communit y in new immigrants.

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

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SHIFTING HOMELANDS

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{ THE GAP }

{ MY SOLUTION }

Immigration has always been a prominent par t of the politic al and social

M y objective is t wofold – to include established A meric ans in the dialog

c onvers ation in the United St ates. N umerous monuments and st atues

about immigration, and to instill a feeling of pride in newer immigrants.

dot the landsc ape all over the countr y. T he Ellis Island and A ngel Island

T he way I c hose to a c hieve this is by l o ok in g at the p i vot al ro le p l aye d

immigration museums, both loc ated at major por ts of entr y on the East

by immigrants through histor y in shaping all that A meric ans c onsider

and West co asts respec tively, p ay due homage to immigrants and the

“A m e r i c a n”. N a r row i n g my fo c u s fu r t h e r, I c h o s e to l o o k at A m e r i c a n

immigration ex perience as a whole. N ewer immigrants into the countr y,

culture, specific ally in the areas of food, language and spor t. By using

most notably Hispanic immigrants have staged many peaceful protests in

the met a p ho r of A mer ic an cultur al ic o ns to t alk a b ou t immig r atio n the

pursuit of equalit y of rights and recognition. May 1st has been unoffically

tone of the conversation is immediately altered, making it more inclusive

declared N ational Immigrant Day and is marked by marches and rallies in

and uplif ting.

cities across the United States.

A n ex hib it a b ou t A mer ic an culture is c er t ain to p ique the interest of

T he su b je c t of immig ration h as re c ieve d a lot of at tention in the me d i a ,

est a b lishe d A mer ic ans , w hile also m ak in g newer immig r ant s fe el p ar t

most of it negative. As a result, Americans are constantly re - evaluating

of a c o ntinuin g histo r y. A d iscus sio n o n the c o ntr ib u tio ns of s p e c ific

their opinion on the subject. T he current tone of the conversation about

immig r ant g rou ps to A mer ic an culture w ill ser ve to remin d A mer ic ans

immig r ation exc lu d es est a b lishe d A mer ic ans and is to o fo cus se d on

of their own immigrant backgrounds. A mericans will come to appreciate

newer immigrants. Most second and third generation A meric ans do not

the essential role played by immigrants in making this countr y what it is

consider themselves par t of the larger immigrant population even though

– a unique microcosm of the world.

they are aware of their immigrant histor y. When a protest is staged, they d o not feel veste d and there ex ist s a b asic d isc onne c t.

Looking for ward, I hope that the exhibit will catalyse a change in attitude of A mer ic ans toward s immig r ant s , an d m ake newer immig r ant s fe el

It is impor tant to change the tone of this conversation if there is to be

p rou d to b e su c h an es senti al p ar t of the A mer ic an fa b r ic . T he fo r m at

a transformation of at titudes. T he positive aspects of immigration need

of an ex hib it all ows p e o p le of a d i ver se b a ckg roun d to c o me to g ether

to be stressed, and established A meric ans need to be included in the

in a c o mm o n s p a c e, an d sh are their in d i v idu al sto r ies an d p er s p e c ti ves

conversation by reminding them of their own immigrant histor y.

w ithin a l arg er fr amewo rk .

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

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SHIFTING HOMELANDS

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

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SHIFTING HOMELANDS

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{ BR A NDING IDEN TIT Y }

“What, then, is this new man, the American? He is a mixture of English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, Germans, and Swedes. From this breed , that race, now called Americans, have arisen.” – J . Hector St . Josh de Crevecouer

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

BRANDING + IDENTITY

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LOGO EXPLORATIONS

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SHIFTING HOMELANDS

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{ BR A ND AT T R IBU T E S }

{ THE LOGO }

Simple

I approached the logo with an aim to convey the idea of migration as

Clear

a mass movement of people across the globe. To this ef fect, I star ted

Evoc ative

exploring circular forms, converging arrows and shapes that conveyed

C ontemporar y

that sense of movement.

E xperiential Positive Play ful Inclusive { THE NAME } I chose the name Shifting Homelands for my project because it conveys the conflict bet ween culture and identit y that all new immigrants face. Despite immigrants’ ef for ts to cope with their new adopted home, they c annot help but rem ain linke d to their c ountr y of or ig in. Immig rant s of ten have to continually re - define their idea of “home” and are c aught bet ween t wo, of ten conflicting cultures.

The final logo for Shifting Homelands takes its cue from the immigration stamp that appears on a passpor t whenever an international border is crossed. T he circular shape of the stamp hints at the form of the globe, an d the t wo ar rows su g g est m ovement . T he t y p e is set in I nter st ate C ondensed and Interstate C ondensed Bold. { S TAT ION E RY } I n ke e p in g w ith the c o n c e pt of the l o g o as a st am p, the t y p o g r a p hy on the stationer y system is designed to look like a form that immigrants rou tinel y h ave to fill in. T he d if ferent c o m p o nent s of the st atio ner y system are hand stamped in the space provided before use.

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

FINAL LOGO

20 째

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FINAL LOGO

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FINAL LOGO

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{ THE EX HIBIT }

“If the melting pot exists, the cheeseburger may well be its most palpable product; to take a bite of it is to take a bite of history...” – Elizabeth R ozin

{ SECTION }

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THE EXHIBIT

{ T HE C ULT UR A L M A R K E T PL ACE } T he main idea of the exhibit is to celebrate the impact of immigration

within the visual contex t of a cultural marketplace or cit y center. L arge

on A meric an culture and to promote the cultural give - and - take bet ween

sc ale graphics, vendor stalls, street corners, billboards and newsstands

established A meric ans and new immigrants. T his central thought gave

enhance the feeling of being within a public market. T he exhibit is also

rise to the idea of a bustling marketplace as a center of communit y and

designed to be dif ferent from traditional ar t exhibits in the sense that it

interaction. The marketplace ser ves as a visual metaphor, one with which

is ver y hands - on, people are invited to interact with and experience the

people of all cultures resonate. T he sections of the exhibit are framed

objects and displays.

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SHIFTING HOMELANDS

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{ Y ER BA BUENA CEN T ER FOR T HE A RTS }

Ye rba B uena Cente r for the Arts presents contemporar y art f rom the Bay Area and around the world that re f lects the profound i ssues and idea s of our time, ex pand s the bound aries of arti stic practice, and celebrates the dive rsit y of human ex pe rience and ex pression .â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mission Statement , Y BC A I c hose the Yer b a Buen a C enter for the A r t s g aller ies in S an Franc isc o

Y BC A aims to bridge the seemingly contradictor y worlds of pop culture,

as the venue for my proposed exhibit because of their commitment to the

contemporar y ar t, and communit y aesthetics. E xhibitions, per formances,

advancement of diversit y and respect for cultural dif ferences and ideas.

film / video, and various communit y engagement programs are organized

Y B C A is a g lo b all y re c o g nize d c enter of ar tistic innovation, k now n for

them atic all y in an ef fo r t to c o nne c t ar t an d c o mmunit y life. T he S hifing

its openness to new voices and ideas, and its sustained commitment to

Homelands exhibit would be ver y much in sync with the Y BC Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission

creatively energizing the communit y through the language of ar t. Y BC A

a n d v a l u e s , n ot o n l y b e c a u s e o f i t s c e l e b r a t i o n o f d i ve r s i t y, b u t a l s o

was designed to embrace and celebrate a diversit y of ar ts, cultures,

b e c ause it uses the me d ium of d esig n an d p o p culture to t alk a b ou t an

audiences and view points.

impor tant social issue of our time.

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

LOCATION OF THE EXHIBIT

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SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ G A L L E R Y- A }

{ G A L L E R Y- B }

The Y BC A exhibition galler y consists of t wo spaces – a small anteroom,

T his s p a c e houses the m ain b o d y of the ex hib it , an d illustr ates the

G aller y A and a larger space, G aller y B. T he anteroom is accessed from

impact of immigration by employing the metaphor of A meric an cultural

the lobby, and leads into the larger galler y. I designed G aller y A as an

icons and ar tifacts. The space is designed to enable people to traverse

i nt ro d u c t i o n to t h e e nt ire ex hi b i t . T hi s ro o m p rov i d e s a n ove r v i ew of

the exhibit organic ally, allowing for interaction bet ween visitors. L arge

immigration into the United States, past and present. Impor tant facts

sc ale graphics and installations are strategic ally placed to draw the eye

and statistics, maps and a timeline provide a framework for the rest of

towards dif ferent par ts of the room. T his par t of the exhibit is divided

the ex hibit. T his ro o m p rov id es a quick g l anc e at the w hy, how and

into three main sec tions – F o o d , S p or t and L anguage – and is designed

when of immigration into the United States.

to emulate the feeling of a marketplace.

{ G A L L E R Y- A PL A N + E L E VAT ION } 13.0’

S C A L E 1:20 0

8.0’

10.0’

20.0’

13.0’

18.0’

9.6’

29.0’

30.0’

6.6’

9.6’

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PAGE

FLOORPLAN + ELEVATION

{ G A L L E R Y- B PL A N + E L E VAT ION } S C A L E 1:20 0

67.0’

25.0’

12.0’

B6 B4

77.0’

49.0’

60.0’

5.7’

40.0’

8.0’

12.0’

7.5’

5.7’

7.5’

8.0’

037

PAGE

038

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PROCESS SKETCHES FOR EXHIBIT

PAGE

039

PAGE

040

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

18.0’

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PAGE

0 41

GALLERY-A LAYOUTS

{ G A L L E R Y A // WA L L A 1 } This is the ver y first wall a visitor encounters upon entering the exhibit. I wanted this wall to make an impact visually, as well as enc apsulate the theme of the ex hib it . I use d sim p lifie d ic o ns of o b je c t s th at h ave been brought into the United States by immigrants at various points in histor y, but have subsequently assimilated to become par t of mainstream A merican culture. These objects come together to take the shape of the

13.0â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

United States.

A PPROACH FROM BOX OF F IC E

PAGE

042

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

GALLERY-A LAYOUTS

PAGE

043

PAGE

044

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ G A L L E R Y A // WA L L A 2 }

13.0’

30.0’

Shor t introduction to the Shifting Homelands project and description of the intent and tone of the exhibit.

BOX OFFIC E

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PAGE

045

GALLERY-A LAYOUTS

{ G A L L E R Y A // WA L L S A 4 , A 5 } 10.0’

13.0’

20.0’

Graphic that illustrates at a glance various stages

Introduction to the nex t section of the exhibit,

of immigration into the United States – when, why

explaining the idea of the Cultural M arketplace

and where from people c ame to this countr y.

and its relevance to the topic of immigration.

A5 A4

BOX OF F IC E

PAGE

046

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ G A L L E R Y A // WA L L A 3 }

BOX OFFIC E

Statistic that illustrates the immigrant make - up of the A meric an population today, broken up by countr y of origin.

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

GALLERY-A LAYOUTS

13.0â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

29.0â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

T his interactive installation is designed to be a real - time indic ator of cultural diversit y in the United States, using people at tending the exhibit as a sample set. People are asked to choose one or more colored rings based on their region of ancestr y and place them on the appropriate bar. A s more people add to the bars, the installation becomes a bar graph that indic ates the relative cultural make - up of the entire group.

PAGE

0 47

PAGE

048

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

GALLERY-A MODEL

PAGE

0 49

PAGE

050

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

GALLERY-A MODEL

PAGE

051

PAGE

052

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ G A L L E R Y B // WA L L B1 }

F ROM G A L L E R Y- A

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PAGE

GALLERY-B LAYOUTS

45.3’

25.0’

67.0’

053

PAGE

054

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ G A L L E R Y B // WA L L B 2 }

T he large - sc ale graphics are bold and draw the eye towards that par ticular par t of the exhibit. T hey are designed like billboards in keeping with the theme of the exhibit space.

F ROM G A L L E R Y- A

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PAGE

GALLERY-B LAYOUTS

25.0â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

77.0â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Graphic illustrating professional players

A n installation of larger- than - life bowling

from various spor ts who are immigrants

pins and ball suspended from the ceiling

to the United States.

in the impression of a strike. T his is to be viewed from across the room.

055

PAGE

056

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

GALLERY-B LAYOUTS

PAGE

057

PAGE

058

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

GALLERY-B LAYOUTS

PAGE

059

PAGE

060

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ G A L L E R Y B // WA L L B 3 }

F ROM G A L L E R Y- A

T his installation takes its inspiration from signs seen in public markets. T he sign is made of 5 - foot tall neon let ters erected on a sc af folding.

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PAGE

GALLERY-B LAYOUTS

25.0’

67.0’

T he Stor y C orps trailer within the exhibit allows visitors to share their stories and experiences as a way of leaving something of themselves behind, as well as get ting involved with the project.

061

PAGE

062

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ G A L L E R Y B // WA L L B 4 } 49.0’

A list of words in the English language adopted from various languages around the world, sor ted by region of origin.

F ROM G A L L E R Y- A

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PAGE

GALLERY-B LAYOUTS

25.0’

77.0’

A n interactive display inspired by “M agnetic

T he news stand has copies of the exhibition

Poetr y”. V isitors to the exhibit are invited to

c atalog, which has been designed to look like

form their own one - liners and poetr y using

a newspaper. V isitors c an pick up a copy as

English words which have been adopted

they leave the exhibit.

from other languages. T he magnetic words are housed in a box and c an be stuck onto the metal wall.

063

PAGE

064

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

GALLERY-B LAYOUTS

PAGE

065

PAGE

066

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

GALLERY-B LAYOUTS

PAGE

067

PAGE

068

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ G A L L E R Y B // WA L L B 5 } 25.0’

F ROM G A L L E R Y- A

T he idea of a neon sign to introduce the topic of food was inspired by the neon signage on many A meric an food stalls.

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

GALLERY-B LAYOUTS

13.0’

33.0’

A manned hotdog stand ser ving hotdogs to visitors talks about the immigrant histor y of A meric a’s quintessential street food.

PAGE

069

PAGE

070

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ G A L L E R Y B // WA L L B 6 }

F ROM G A L L E R Y- A

L arger than life display of a salsa and ketchup bot tle illustrating the entr y of the Mexic an salsa as a mainstream A meric an condiment.

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PAGE

GALLERY-B LAYOUTS

13.0â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

25.0â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Foods originally brought to A meric a by various groups of immigrants, which have now assimilated into mainstream A meric an cuisine are showc ased in a deli environment. T hese include apple pie, pret zels, bagels, chowder, chopsuey and hamburger. T his is a manned station and these foods are ser ved to the visitors at the exhibit. People read about the immigrant histor y of each food while sampling it.

071

PAGE

072

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ G A L L E R Y B // WA L L B 7 }

13.0’

25.0’

F ROM G A L L E R Y- A

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PAGE

GALLERY-B LAYOUTS

{ G A L L E R Y B // WA L L B 8 }

13.0’

25.0’

F ROM G A L L E R Y- A

073

PAGE

0 74

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

GALLERY-B LAYOUTS

PAGE

075

PAGE

076

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ SECTION }

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ E X HIBIT PROMOTION }

“We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Dif ferent people, dif ferent beliefs, dif ferent yearnings, dif ferent hopes, dif ferent dreams.” – President Jimmy Carter

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PAGE

077

PROMOTION + MERCHANDISE

{ A MULT IC ULT UR A L SA L A D BOW L } A mericaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diverse societ y has been described as a melting pot, in which

T h e m et a p h o r o f t h e s a l a d b o w l s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e v a r i o u s d i f fe re nt

diverse ethnic groups shed their traditional identities and are absorbed

cultures w ithin the U nite d St ates c o m b ine like a s al a d . A ll the cultures

i nto a s i n g l e d o m i n a nt c u l t u re . T h i s v i ew o f a c c u l t u r a t i o n i s d a te d a n d

within A meric a are jux taposed but do not merge together into a single

highly simplistic. In fact, the lines of cultural influence move in multiple

homogeneous culture; each culture retains its own distinct qualities, just

directions. A bet ter model of cultural interchange and assimilation is that

as in a salad, a tomato does not take on the traits of a carrot merely by

of the salad bowl.

being placed adjacent to it.

PAGE

078

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PAGE

079

EXHIBITION CATALOG

{ E X H I BI T ION C ATA L O G } T h e c a t a l o g fo r t h e S h ifti n g H o m e l a n d s ex h i b i t i s i nte n d e d to b e

The tabloid - sized catalog is designed to evoke the feeling of a newspaper

d i s t r i b u te d b ot h a s p ro m ot i o n fo r t h e p ro j e c t , a s w e l l a s a t a ke a w a y

b e c a u s e o f t h e u n i ve r s a l i t y o f t h e m e d i u m a s a d i s b u r s e r o f p o p u l a r

at the exhibit. T he 3 2- page public ation introduces the concept of the

culture and information. The primar y source of distribution is newsstands

exhibit, and provides detailed histor y and information about the various

and newspaper vending machines on street corners. The visual st yle is

themes presented in the exhibit. T he c atalog is divided into four main

d i c t a te d b y t h e l i m i t a t i o n s o f p r i nt i n g o n n ew s p r i nt . B o l d t y p o g r a p hy

se c tions , e c hoing the se c tions of the ex hib it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; F o o d , S p o r t , L an gu a g e

an d fl at c o l o r illustr atio ns t ake into a c c ount p ro b lems of re g istr atio n

and Personal stories.

an d bleeding which may arise in printing and production.

PAGE

080

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

CATALOG SKETCHES

PAGE

081

PAGE

082

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

CATALOG SPREAD

PAGE

083

PAGE

084

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

CATALOG PAGES

PAGE

085

PAGE

086

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

CATALOG

PAGE

087

PAGE

088

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

{ SECTION }

{ DESCRIPTION }

PAGE

089

WEBSITE

{ WEBSITE } T he Shifting Homelands website is designed to spread the word about the exhibit, as well as to encourage par ticipation in the project. A par t from providing information about the project and about the general topic o f i m m i g r a t i o n i nto t h e U n i te d S t a te s , t h e w e b s i te a l s o e n c o u r a g e s people to submit their own immigration stories. People are also invited to download posters and the c atalog and help spread the word.

PAGE

090

{ PROJECT }

{ TITLE }

MFA THESIS

THE PROJECT

J O I N T H E C O N V E R S AT I O N

ABOUT US

{ DESIGNER }

SHIFTING HOMELANDS

DOWNLOADS

SUPPORT

SUPRIYA KALIDAS

C O N TA C T

THE PROJECT

J O I N T H E C O N V E R S AT I O N

DOWNLOADS

SUPPORT

C O N TA C T

SHIF TING HOMEL ANDS E XPLORES THE ESSENTIAL ROLE PL AYED BY IMMIGR ANTS

IN TODAY ’S AMERICAN SOCIE T Y. BY REMINDING US THAT AMERICA IS A “NATION OF

NATIONS”, AND THAT ALL AMERICANS ARE UNITED BY A SHARED IMMIGR ANT

HERITAGE, THE PROJECT AIMS FOR A BE T TER UNDERSTANDING OF IMMIGR ANT

HERITAGE, THE PROJECT AIMS FOR A BE T TER UNDERSTANDING OF IMMIGR ANT CULTURE AMONGST AMERICANS A S WELL A S TO RECONCILE THE IMMIGR ANTS’

CULTURE AMONGST AMERICANS A S WELL A S TO RECONCILE THE IMMIGR ANTS’

E THNIC IDENTIT Y WITH THEIR NE W HOME.

E THNIC IDENTIT Y WITH THEIR NE W HOME. JOIN T HE C ON V ER S AT ION

ABOUT US

JOIN THE C ON V ER S ATION

RE A D MORE A BOU T T HE P ROJECT

Supported by

RE A D MORE A BOU T T HE PROJECT

Supported by