EXHIBITION STATEMENT

Introduction

Have you ever sat back at the end of a day and realized you weren’t really present at all during the day? You spent a whole day living, and yet you can barely remember what happened because you were too busy worrying about the next thing you had to do. But how can we remember to pause and reflect on how present we are being every day, when typically, this is a subconscious occurrence? Could something as simple as one sentence reminder bring you back into the present moment and possibly change your mind set for the next few minutes, hours, even days? In this capstone project, quotes from peers will be used to explore the idea of reminding others to be present in the moment through the creation of posters as a means of portraying messages.

Literature Review

While posters are a common form of advertisement and art today, they have not always been a commonly used medium. It wasn’t until after WWI that the poster became a popular form of commercial advertisement and art (Green). Prior to the commercial use of posters, many artists had created pieces that are categorized as posters, typically including text along with image. Artists such as Jules Cheret and Toulouse Lautrec from Paris created some of the first lithographed posters that still influence poster art today. Posters have been inspired by many movements and time periods. In America, specifically during WWII, posters were used as a main form of propaganda. Then, in the 1950s, pop art became popular and influenced the designs of many posters which utilized brighter colors and cartoonish imagery. In the 1960s posters were used in protests (Barnicoat). Computer and graphic art became more popular as the technology developed in the 1980s and 90s. This was an important transition for poster production because it allowed the mass printing and design of posters on a much larger scale at a quicker rate (Hartney). This is something that carries into today, as the use of graphic design is present every day.

The purpose of a poster is to convey a message. The message of being present and living in the moment is an important reminder for many. According to Psychology Today, “Living in the moment makes people happier because most negative thoughts concern the past or future”. Living in the moment is much easier said than done, though. A reminder may be enough to bring someone’s thoughts to the present moment. This is important to do because it can affect so many other aspects of one’s day. “Research suggests that individuals generally differ in their tendency to be mindful in daily life and that higher levels of dispositional mindfulness predict less distress and greater well-being” (Kiken). Stress is an issue that plagues our society today. It is something that is difficult to fix because so many factors can cause distress. Why not try to eliminate one of them?

Methods

The first method used in this project was technical research on the history of poster making, as well as the significance that posters as an art form have had in society. Next, the importance and psychology of living in the moment was investigated.  The next method utilized was interviewing and surveying people. About 20 people around campus were asked to answer the question "What would you say to yourself or a friend to remind them to be present and live in the moment?".  The most provoking responses were taken and shortened into phrases. Then, a digital design program was used to create the actual designs of the posters. The posters were printed and hung around the Cambridge community. Lastly, the curation of the exhibit included printing stickers to hand out.

Audience and Impact

The audience for this project is members of the Cambridge community. This community is the perfect size to spread the message to some of my peers as well as people I may not know. The intended impact of the posters is to remind anyone who walks by it and reads it to take a moment and recenter themselves in the present moment. Truthfully, if even one person was impacted by one of my posters, I feel that I have succeeded. Personally, the creation of these posters and reflection on each quote I received helped me be a lot more present through the day. Each day that I worked on a poster or another aspect of this project, I was able to meditate on my message and center myself. I hope to spread the message and impact as well, at Artsfest, with the option for anyone to take a sticker home.

Sources

Dixit, Jay. “The Art of Now: Six Steps to Living in the Moment.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 1 Nov. 2008, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/200811/the-art-now-six-steps-living-in-the-moment.

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Green, Evelyne. "Commercial art." Grove Art Online. . Oxford University Press. Date of access 28 Sep. 2021,https://www.oxfordartonline.com/groveart/view/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.001.0001/oao-9781884446054-e-7000018890

Hartney, Mick, and Jeffrey Martin. "Computer art." Grove Art Online.  14. Oxford University Press. Date of access 28 Sep. 2021, https://www.oxfordartonline.com/groveart/view/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.001.0001/oao-9781884446054-e-7000018951

Kiken, Laura G et al. “Being present and enjoying it: Dispositional mindfulness and savoring the moment are distinct, interactive predictors of positive emotions and psychological health.” Mindfulness vol. 8,5 (2017): 1280-1290. doi:10.1007/s12671-017-0704-3

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank a bunch of people who helped make this possible:

• Each person who answered my interview question willingly and thoughtfully

• Heather- for her constant support and pushing me to make this project better and better

• Harold and Gabi and the rest of the Art Scholars community for the support and inspiration

• My mom for listening to my rants about my many frustrations

• My grandmother for helping me print all of the posters and being the best!

• My roommate Abby for sitting with me as I designed each poster for hours on