Herron School of Art and Design Theses
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Item WHALEFALL(2021-05-08) Leamon, Karri; Nordgulen, Eric; Robinson, Cory; Furqueron, ReaganThe whale fall represents a devastating loss not only symbolically of my father, but also a colossal loss to the ecosystem of our great oceans. As the whale begins to sink it blocks out the sun entirely to the creatures beneath. The whale crashes and the sediment of the ocean floor rises up in an intense cloud, further blocking the sun and obscuring the view of the whale. At the precipice of the death, there is no hope of continuing life for the whale; but new life will form. Once the whale is fully settled on the floor, bioluminescent creatures begin to flock to the remains, something that seems nearly impossible in the dark desolate void of the ocean floor, eventually, bringing back the light and life to the whale.Item Fighting Powers(2021) Dobouni, Leena; Winship, AndrewFighting Powers analyzes Leena Dobouni’s body of installation artwork as it relates to concepts of socio-political imbalance between the Middle East and Western powers. The West’s systemic degradation of the Middle East is examined through the theories of the post-colonial / imperial gaze, psychological myopia and social dominance theory. The thesis poses that historical events during the early 20th century set the stage for the current rapport that the West has with the Middle East. T. E. Lawrence, Mark Sykes and Francois Georges-Picot are three main players in the instigation of the inequitable relations between the West and the Middle East. Investigation of these ideas and events support the presented viewpoint that socio-structural marginalization of the “other” in Western communities is irrefutable and that the idea of the “lesser” is born out of “othering." Dobouni’s unique experiences as a Muslim of mixed Iraqi-American heritage in the Western and imperial gaze has allowed her to observe distinct narratives of political tension between the two sides of her upbringing.Item The Land of Milk and Honey(2021-05-10) Roberts, Jessica 'Leia'; Misluk, Eileen; Petranek, Stefan; Riede, DanielleMy body of work serves as a form of therapy for me and provides insight into the often-misunderstood world of mental illnesses. A personal struggle is with Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders [OSFED] has informed the pieces discussed below. OSFED is the term utilized to include individuals who do not meet the strict guidelines for anorexia or bulimia nervosa but still have a substantial eating disorder (“Other Specified Feeding”). With this in mind, my practice explores a personal experience with eating disorders. Eating disorders are medically recognized mental disorders and have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness. National surveys estimate that 12% of women and 6% of men in America will develop an eating disorder within their lifetime (“What Are Eating”). It should be recognized that eating disorders can affect anyone, at any age. As an artist, I strive to make work that provides the viewer with a deeper understanding of the mind of someone with an eating disorder.Item Community and Art(2021-05) Haymaker, Shawn; Misluk, EileenCommunity may hold different meanings to different people and situations, which may or may not be bound by physical space. Community is not well defined and is especially difficult to define in literacy research. It was hypothesized the definition of community would include similarities on a broader scale, although there may be differences that reflect diverse cultural traits on a smaller scale. This study was a parallel mixed methods research study that utilized a systematic literature review and a convenient survey design aimed to understand how community-based providers define the term “community” within their work. Connection, support, commonality, were among the highest mentioned when asked in the survey, “what does community mean to you?” Listening, dialogue, and communication were important key elements when asked, “what makes community thrive?” The survey results indicated sense of belonging and bonding of like minds were the most important aspects of community, as well as, connection, support, and common values, ideals and traits were important factors in defining community. A guideline for clinicians was provided as they define community in their work across the world, cultures, and ethnicities.Item Defining the Role: Pediatric Art Therapist(2021-05) Mourey, Brooke; Misluk, EileenIn pediatrics, there are various teams of professionals working to help medically fragile children develop and maintain coping capacities amidst their traumatic situations. In recent years the need for these professionals has continually increased. This research is in efforts to further define one of these professions, pediatric art therapists and how they work in the medical setting. This study was designed to help to clarify common misconceptions of a medical art therapist's role in conjunction with other auxiliary staff. It was hypothesized that this research would clarify the pediatric art therapy role, allowing for better use of art therapy for their hiring employers and their patients. This qualitative study used a simple descriptive survey design to gather data about medical art therapists job descriptions and interpretations. Results reported from the survey showed a variety of credentials, position titles, job descriptions and interpretations of roles across the board. The better an art therapist understands their role in different settings, like a pediatric hospital, the better they can provide for these settings, adapting their skills to precisely what these job postings are requesting.Item A Cataclysmorphic Prophecy(2021-05-20) Moore, Alex; Potter, William; Riede, Danielle; Winship, AndrewOur bodies and minds are incessantly morphing, driven by environmental stimuli. You could reduce the entire experience of being alive to simply being fluid and responsive. In considering the significance of this morphability, we should also consider the significance of “place”. This relationship with place is rooted in ecology, the branch of biology which deals with living things and their relationships with their physical surroundings. In my body of work I examine my own relationship with place, its effects on my identity, and my ability to morph.Item Easing Transition: The Journal as a Transitional Object for Adolescents in Emergency Shelter Care(2021-05) Dunn, Amanda; Misluk, EileenThe 437,283 children involved in the foster care system, specifically the adolescents in institutions like emergency shelter care, present specific needs including continuity, trauma-informed care, and positive relationships. The purpose of this integrative literature review was to explore how a journal could act as a transitional object (TO) to help meet the needs of adolescents in emergency shelter care. It was hypothesized that the use of a reflective visual journal will act as a TO and help meet the needs of this population. Resulting from this research is a proposal for making a journal for use as TO in a therapeutic workshop. Literature was reviewed through an integrative literature review, which used representative literature to form new perspectives on the topics. Resulting from this research is a proposal for making a journal for use as TO in a therapeutic workshop. From this research and workshop proposal, art therapy and journaling can be used to create TO that can help bring healing to and meet the needs of adolescents in emergency shelter care.Item Envisioning Art and Design Education Through the Lens of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Herron School of Art + Design(2021-05-10) Datta, Amrita; Ganci, Aaron; Napier, Pamela; Shekara, ArchanaAs the U.S witnesses the guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd, communities nationwide are embracing the historical inequities spanning race, gender, religion and disability benefits. Higher education is equally rife with these inequities. Widespread implementation of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) can be a catalyst for peace, acceptance and equality. Despite the requirement for educators to provide aptitude on DEI efforts in order to adhere to growing student needs, resources allocated for such endeavors remain low. Of course, this further increases the barriers for faculty tasked with familiarizing themselves with a wide range of DEI ‘topics’. Articulation and commitment to DEI remains a challenge for educators. This is especially true in design education and the People-Centered Design process is perfectly poised to address these underlying issues. Implementing a people-centered design approach that puts the needs of people first can be the change in our education system that addresses complex social inequalities. Design educators can lead this social paradigm shift within academia. However, before educators can make a commitment to diversity they must first engage in foundational learning of DEI terms and definitions. This case study, conducted at Indiana University’s Herron School of Art and Design provides a novel strategy for how this can be accomplished. Since educators have systematically transitioned into the digital world -- the outcome of this case study proposes a prototype which characterizes the need of identifying DEI strategies through a digital experience.Item Understanding the designer’s role in Latin American Public Sector Innovation Labs(2021-08-05) Garcia, Luis; Napier, Pamela; Ganci, Aaron; Bosch Gomez, SofiaThis project explores Public Sector Innovation Labs (PSI Labs) in the Latin American context with a particular focus on designer’s contributions. PSI Labs provide a fantastic opportunity for governments to experiment and innovate how public services are delivered to citizens and improve public institutions’ operations. PSI Labs are becoming increasingly visible, but research has mainly focused on PSI Labs in Europe and North America. Moreover, research has also concentrated on PSI Labs as an institution but not on the people working in them. This thesis attempts to contribute to this growing body of research by studying the particularities of operating PSI Labs in Latin America and design/ers contributions in a space that, according to some proponents, can play an important role in addressing pressing social challenges. By engaging with designers and public servants from other disciplines through semi-structured interviews, this thesis presents insights and proposes future directions that could strengthen PSI Labs structures in Latin America and design contributions. Finally, research findings are synthesized in the form of a Giga map that includes the following themes: challenges, best practices, ideal conditions, expert design, learning opportunities for designers and other public servants, and qualities and expertise of people working in PSI Labs.Item The Use of Art Therapy for Family Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia(2021-05) Powlen, Mikayla; Misluk, EileenThe art therapy field enlightens the idea of artistic expression which allows for nonverbal interpretation of emotions, bypasses cognition, and brings forth the benefit of art alone. Art therapy can be used to reduce burnout, anxiety, and stress while also increasing social support for caregivers of individuals with dementia. The purpose of this literature review is to provide foundational knowledge on the topic of art therapy, dementia, caretakers, and determining the benefit of art therapy for caretakers. It was hypothesized that by completing this review, validation would occur for art interventions being helpful for caregivers’ overall well-being. A traditional literature review was used to examine the experiences of caregivers of individuals with dementia. Art therapy has been increasingly recognized as having a contribution to caretakers mental health as well as the relationships surrounding those diagnosed with dementia. The reduction of stress and anxiety can further enhance family caregivers’ well-being and their relationship with their loved one with dementia.