OPENNESS
Personal Research — Spring 2022
Personal Research — Spring 2022
Book Design
A thesis presented by Qiwen Ju, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design in the Department of Graphic Design of the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island.
We perceive the world as flat when we close one eye. When both eyes are open, the world takes on a three-dimensional quality.
Our childhood, education, family, and environment form and bind our cognitive perspective. As the ancient Chinese proverb goes: “You can’t see Mount Tai by blinding your eyes with one leaf.” Truth is exceedingly difficult to discern. Like the obscuring leaf, there are blind spots in our vision. Prejudice is often the narrow leaf that obstructs perception, preventing us from seeing with greater dimension.
For actual comprehension, we can only see through the eyes, hearts, and minds of others that which we have not considered or comprehended. Although the world is complex, the truth is concealed, prejudices are tenacious, and the mind is weak, we must continue pursuing the truth we desire.
Openness is a four-part journey toward widening my perspective of the world, society, politics, culture, race, and gender by returning to a primal mode of observation: vision. What emerges is neither law nor guide but an attitude or method of finding direction and understanding. Over the course of this exploration, I hopefully break free of the one leaf syndrome and provide pathways for my audience to do the same.
A thesis presented by Qiwen Ju, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design in the Department of Graphic Design of the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island.
We perceive the world as flat when we close one eye. When both eyes are open, the world takes on a three-dimensional quality.
Our childhood, education, family, and environment form and bind our cognitive perspective. As the ancient Chinese proverb goes: “You can’t see Mount Tai by blinding your eyes with one leaf.” Truth is exceedingly difficult to discern. Like the obscuring leaf, there are blind spots in our vision. Prejudice is often the narrow leaf that obstructs perception, preventing us from seeing with greater dimension.
For actual comprehension, we can only see through the eyes, hearts, and minds of others that which we have not considered or comprehended. Although the world is complex, the truth is concealed, prejudices are tenacious, and the mind is weak, we must continue pursuing the truth we desire.
Openness is a four-part journey toward widening my perspective of the world, society, politics, culture, race, and gender by returning to a primal mode of observation: vision. What emerges is neither law nor guide but an attitude or method of finding direction and understanding. Over the course of this exploration, I hopefully break free of the one leaf syndrome and provide pathways for my audience to do the same.
ADVISING COMMITTEE
Bethany Johns
Graphic Design Graduate Program Director
Graphic Design, Professor
Ryan Waller
Tertiary Thesis Advisor
Graphic Design, Critic
Graphic Design Graduate Program Director
Graphic Design, Professor
Ryan Waller
Tertiary Thesis Advisor
Graphic Design, Critic
Nancy Skolos
Primary Thesis Advisor
Graphic Design, Professor
Jessica Helfand
External Thesis Critic
Design Observer, Co Founder
Primary Thesis Advisor
Graphic Design, Professor
Jessica Helfand
External Thesis Critic
Design Observer, Co Founder
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LINK TO RISD MASTERS THESES WEBSITE
Copyright © 2022, Qiwen Ju.
All rights reserved.
This thesis is intended for academic purposes only. Use of images, text, and/or other content is for educational purposes only, unless expressly permitted otherwise. Images in this publication may have been reproduced without permission. If there are objections to the use of any of these images, I would be happy to remove them from further editions.
All rights reserved.
This thesis is intended for academic purposes only. Use of images, text, and/or other content is for educational purposes only, unless expressly permitted otherwise. Images in this publication may have been reproduced without permission. If there are objections to the use of any of these images, I would be happy to remove them from further editions.