ABSTRACT —

The wealth of color present in nature has long been a major source of inspiration for works of art and design. Yet as more species become extinct due to habitat loss, climate change and unchecked hunting, will we face a less colorful, more monotonous future? How will this impact art and design and how could either be utilized as tools to counteract the loss of color? This thesis speculates upon such a future by the sixth wave of mass extinction and instigates a movement that celebrates color.

Growing up in the Anthropocene, the first geological epoch in which human existence itself impacted the planet's geology and ecosystems more permanently than ever before, a sense of the impermanent character of the natural world was instilled in me from a young age. Therefore, the investigation of how humans perceive themselves in relation to the natural world is central to this thesis.

I review the role graphic design and the use of ambiguity can play in creating a space that allows a wider audience to join urgent conversations. Rather than dismissing expressiveness in information design, I propose a fusion of clarity and artful attractiveness to delay how fast information can be extracted by the audience In order to create a higher chance of transference.

I propose that strategies present in traditional graphic design, which rest on the significance of aesthetics and beauty, have the potential to be utilized as lures to capture an audience's attention and open up a space that offers more effective channels of communication.

My thesis challenges the status quo of how information design is understood: rather than focusing on “clarity” and “efficiency” exclusively, I propose through my work that the effectiveness of telling a story through

design depends on allowing an audience
the time and space they require in order to engage with topics of sometimes overwhelming nature through the use of ambiguity and creativity.

Through my work I highlight the importance of frameworks found in psychology invoking empathy and intrigue in establishing a dialogue about our relationship with the natural world and all living organisms around us.

I propose that meaningful reflections and conversations in an audience have a higher likelihood of happening if judgment does not form part of the design process. Therefore, instead of showing what I denote as  “right” or “wrong” through my work, the purpose of this thesis is to investigate, question, and, most of all, celebrate colors.

View the full thesis PDF here.