PERSONAL WORK
TKTKTK — on white supremacy and anti-black racism in graphic design
The following is a kit of parts that make up an upcoming publication which exists to articulate the life of the racially marginalized graphic designer and artist. Graphic Design (GD) as a contemporary practice is rooted in early 20th century, western Europe. This origin dominates popular understanding of the discipline, and more specifically, its canon. Due to this, the manner in which Graphic Designers perform the discipline is deeply raced — meaning in this instance that the discipline, practice, trade, etc. of Graphic Design and the white race are inextricably linked throughout. The letters, tools, graphics, and aesthetics cycled through were selected, operationalized, and refined by those in power then, and now. This publication will share accounts of these marginalized designers (counterstorytelling) as well as articulate the inextricability of white supremacy within Graphic Design. This will be done through frameworks and tenets lent to us from Critical Race Theory (CRT), counterstorytelling and interest convergence. The working title for this publication is, Poly.
01. Glossary
This glossary was pieced together from sources provided by the Creative Reaction Lab (A. Carroll), The Just City Lab (T. Griffin), Critical Race Theory, An Introduction (R. Delgado, J. Stefancic), How to be an Anti-Racist (I. Kendi), and Sexing the Body (A. Fausto-Sterling).
02. Interviews with Black GD Practitioners
A trio of interviews which seek to uncover the counterstory of the Black Graphic Artist / Graphic Designer.
03. Findings & Next Steps
Through the interviewing process, claims and observations made in the Educational review were substantiated. In order to more confidently hold those claims and observations as true, more interviews will be needed.
These claims and observations include —
Colorism as a factor of mental/emotional pressure in addressing issues relating to black/African-American graphic artists / graphic designers.
Feeling of a need to outperform white peers.
“lucky” to be in the company of white peers who appreciate the experience of the black/African-American graphic artist/graphic designer.
Instances of the covert exoticization, tokenization of the black/African-American graphic artist/graphic designer.
Increased feelings of Imposter Syndrome (Clance, Imes, 1978).
Sensitivity to falling victim to trope of “angry black woman” (regardless of interviewees gender).
