1. Visual Storytelling Through Typography
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2. Archiving Black Identity in Contemporary Design
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3. Centering Black Narratives in Visual Culture

NY Mercy University
Creative Direction: Akeem Carnegie
Advisor: Jennifer Roos

The Black Experience In Design
Identity, Expression and Relection

This project responds to The Black Experience in Design, a book amplifying the voices of Black designers across disciplines. Through experimental layout, manipulated imagery, and typographic disruption, each composition reinterprets themes of visibility, community, and legacy. I explored visual language that resists erasure—drawing inspiration from archival aesthetics, protest art, and underground print culture.

Challenge

The goal was to express my personality through six chosen words—loud, procrastinator, wise, metalhead, slow, and four-eyed—using visual imagery and physical collage. The challenge was finding ways to make each trait visually engaging and meaningful while reflecting different facets of who I am.

Process and Thinking

I brainstormed how each word could be visualized through elements like texture, symbolism, and color.
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‍Loud used bold shapes and contrasting tones.
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Procrastinator reflected disorganization and delay.

‍Wise referenced knowledge and experience.

‍Metalhead leaned into music and subculture.

‍Slow used humor and self-awareness.

‍Four-eyed incorporated glasses and abstraction.

Concept Exploration
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Symbolism
Capturing the essence of each word through imagery.
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Contrast and Harmony
Balancing chaos and calm to reflect internal complexity.
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Collage Technique
Layering materials to represent the depth and contradictions in personality.

Final Direction

I created a single collage that unified all six traits. Each word claimed its own visual space,
but together, they formed a layered, dynamic piece. The contrast between bold and subtle
elements helped tell a cohesive yet complex personal story.