Parsons School of Design
BFA Communication Design
Thesis 2013

Parsons School of Design
BFA Communication Design
Thesis 2013

By A Thread
Noelle Campbell

My thesis began with one simple thread, a vague idea, and the desire to make a statement about an issue that’s very important to me. Catalyzed by the political climate of the 2012 presidential election and inspired by second-wave feminist literature, I began stitching. By A Thread is a large-scale embroidered visualization and accompanying publication that juxtaposes the US casualties from The War on Terror with the number of US women murdered by acts of domestic violence from September 10, 2001 to June 6, 2012. Two columns made up of cross-stiches, each stitch representing a fatality, form the visual of the comparison. While the number of deaths are staggering on both accounts, the conclusion one makes from looking at this graphic is not what most would expect. Through the craft of needlework, which is traditionally associated with domesticity and the feminine, By A Thread strives to create an experience that is simultaneously delicate and deeply disturbing through an overt comparison of these tragic deaths. Although the piece is very large in size (2x8 ft), the white- on-white color palette doesn’t allow legibility until the viewer is close to it, urging a more intimate engagement with the information. The chosen materials and absence of color mirror the long- standing invisibility of violence against women and the inadequate discussion around these issues. Ultimately, the goal of By A Thread is to present a foundation in which viewers can confront their assumptions and unquestioned acceptances regarding aspects of our present-day culture.

Jonathan Abbo

Nick Abreu

Silao AJ Afano

Amel Afzal

Jeongkyun Ahn

Frederico Afrange de Andrade

Cynthia Bacall

Piper Black

Shravika Bothra

Zipporah Burman

John Bussiere

Noelle Campbell

Susana Castro

Nate Cepis

Yi-Shan Chang

Lisa Seoyeon Cho

Paul Jay Choe

Sara Chou

Saiq'a S. Chowdhury

Iee Deun Eden Chung

Caitlin Clingman

Evon Coleman

Rachel Cutler

James Czyz

Mae Decena

Stephanie De Jesús

Jonathan De La Rosa

Carlos De León

Kristie DeLouise

Dawa Dolma

Erica Efstratoudakis

Alexis Dawn Ely

Beril Esin

Sofia Falcon

Francisco Flores

Erik Freer

Ying Joyce Fu

Carina Giacomelli

Ermioni Giakou

Isabel Castillo Guijarro

Alex Hack

Shaobo Han

Paulina Ho

Lauren Hodges

Jenny Holt

Vicky Huang

Jess Hutchison

Joanna Izzo

Hasita Kamlesh

Elizabeth Kenney

SoJung Kim

Jihae Kim

Michelle H. Kim

MJ Minjung Kwon

Alleson Lai

Alfred Lam

Yejin Lee

Michael Leng

Christina Lu

Chris Lunney

Maketa Mabane

Amanda Maduri

Sara Maier

Tara Mann

Jenn Martins

Caroline Mathews

Andrew McCausland

Anna McKendrick

Bryan Meador

Melanie Mencarelli

Julio Montás

Jenni Mällinen

Burak Nehbit

My Nguyen

Jacqueline Oh

Melisa Ozkan

Boram Park

Caroline Partridge

Xing Hai Piao

Brenna Pladsen

Stephanie Porzio

Rocco Rada

Jay Ramirez

Joelle Riffle

Elizabeth Rodriguez

Yvonne Romano

Juan Carlos Santos Andrade

Ariel Scala-Perykasz

Shelly Seroussi

Betty Shang

Leslie Shapiro

Jennifer Haesoo Shim

Jeemin Shim

Amos Shin

Ben Shotwell

Robyn Silev

Nika Simovich

Axel Hammarskiöld Spendrup

Lesley Sakinah Steele

Naomi Sundberg

Britt Tapsall

Sabina Telagis

Daniel Bogre Udell

Azalea Vaseghi

Will Warner

Courtney Wells

Belinda Whiteman

Bryce Williams

Anita Wong

Chu-yi Wu

Giselle Nari Wynn

Katherine Yaksich

Kyungwon Yang

Emily Zhong

Michael Zoppo