Michaela Groveman
Outlier
People have this misconception about adoption and how great it is. To someone on the outside, it seems like it's going to make the adoptee feel all kinds of joy, however for some adoptees their perspective is the complete opposite.
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Outlier is a museum exhibition about adoption from the adoptee's point of view. Throughout the exhibit you see empty spaces filled with color. The empty spaces represent the emptiness that some adoptees feel about being adopted. They feel ashamed because they feel as if they are abandoning their roots in order to adapt to their current lifestyle. The colors symbolize how even though there's a slight disconnect presently it doesn't mean there always will be.
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The brochure has information about how some children feel about being adopted. Colored boxes hold quotes from adoptees about their personal experiences and feelings.
Museum Exhibition
Having this design on three walls furthers the idea of a missing link. Having letters overlap created the space to add the color. The words being connected but then having broken pieces represent, a link that can still have pieces missing. I chose a bold sans serif typeface because its an unexpected and informal representation of this topic. I chose these colors because they each have a certain feeling associated with the feeling of being adopted.
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[wall blurb] from the Adoptee; Adoptees have their own experience with adoption. Adoptees are given this new life with great opportunities. They’re more than grateful but they sometimes feel like their bond with their family isn’t complete. Everyone has some type of bond with their family. But for adoptees they’re missing that connection because they were abandoned by their family.
Narrative Literature
For the narrative literature I wanted to include quotes from adoptees from their perspective. By having these quotes it gives the viewer an idea of how the adoptee feels instead of making assumptions by what they see. Each quote is contained in a color from the logo type. Each color represents a certain emotion and these quotes correspond with the color. Having the colored boxes cut out where the paper is folded is to show the missing piece when looking at the entire booklet.
Take Away Item
For the packaging I wanted to have a locket inside. This locket is meant to represent the love given from parent to child. Usually in locket’s you’re able to include photos. But in this one you cannot. This is meant to show the missing figures in an adoptees life. But with the idea of trying to feel whole, the wearer can fill the locket with an image to keep close to them at all times. For the actual box I wanted to include the colors from the logo type. The quote on back is meant to remind everyone that family isn’t blood but it’s the people who want you in their life.
Poster
For the poster I wanted to incorporate the missing pieces from the title into the overall look. The choice of having the girl blurred out and moving is to represent the feeling of not being secure and confused. By incorporating the colored squares onto the black and white image, it further emphasizes the different emotions within her.
