Taking care of our only home, the land we come from, and the land we will go back to, should be at the center of our lives. The Industrial Revolution marked the beginning of an ecological epoch known as the Anthropocene, in which human activities accelerated the rate of species extinction and recklessly altered the environment. My thesis project is a campaign centered around The Universal Declaration of the Rights of Mother Earth, which was put together by indigenous groups around the world. This document outlines the guidelines we must follow to restore a healthy (pre-industrial) relationship with Mother Earth.
Thus, the aesthetic of my campaign is rooted in the tactile, the analog, the lovingly handmade. The homespun process of my project is an important feature of the message I am communicating. As the global north tries to disconnect ourselves from our roots, the analog form is important to continue to learn and pass along. While in Pennsylvania with limited resources around me, I used what I could find, starting with my hands and paying attention to the details of my environment. The touch of a physical object can hold so much power. The intention put into the design is rooted in the object, even if it isn’t explicitly stated. The human hand is imperfect, messy, but can create strength with community. The Home campaign is about bringing people together with nature, or rather, realizing that we are one and the same.