This project was a response to an open-ended brief for my final year university project. My positioning statement was that communication design can document and celebrate the beautiful juxtaposition of ones varied ethnic makeup through foodways and the cultural traditions of dining. Mixed is an insight into the contrasting cultures of individuals with mixed ethnicity. Nostalgic recipes from diverse cultural backgrounds provide a lens for showcasing cultural contrast.
The book featured the stories of 20 mixed ethnicity individuals, alongside a recipe from either side of their contrasting background. From Korean Germans living in Australia, to Jewish Ukrainian Japanese, the reader discovers the everyday negotiations and nuances within multicultural families. From gender roles, to cultural and religious hierarchies, and the way that customs are passed down, Mixed provides an opportunity for mixed heritage individuals to share their stories in a way that does not begin and end with the question of “What are you?”
I knew that with so many cultures being the main focus of this book that the style could easily become very overdone if I tried to represent each country and culture. My solution was simple abstract patterns as a code for each country. Meaning I could create a unique artwork combining the various patterns for each person, visually demonstrating their specific ethnic mixes. I wanted to differ from the stock standard, full bleed image on one side and recipe on the other generic form of cookbook. The hero in the content are the stories, the recipes are more for further insight and visual/tangible examples. However I made sure it was highly functional as a recipe book with a clear contents and index separated by meal type. I chose to use multiple smaller images, which allowed me to show various stages of the process including ingredients and equipment, a transparent feature I find very useful in this medium. The asymmetrical formation of images alludes to this idea of the unique and a bit out of the ordinary. This juxtaposition is also important to my design and concept, as shown throughout where I chose exotic ingredients from varying cuisines and posed them together to create interesting and odd looking combinations to reinforce the visual concept of mix ethnicity contrast.
I knew that with so many cultures being the main focus of this book that the style could easily become very overdone if I tried to represent each country and culture. My solution was simple abstract patterns as a code for each country. Meaning I could create a unique artwork combining the various patterns for each person, visually demonstrating their specific ethnic mixes. I wanted to differ from the stock standard, full bleed image on one side and recipe on the other generic form of cookbook. The hero in the content are the stories, the recipes are more for further insight and visual/tangible examples. However I made sure it was highly functional as a recipe book with a clear contents and index separated by meal type. I chose to use multiple smaller images, which allowed me to show various stages of the process including ingredients and equipment, a transparent feature I find very useful in this medium. The asymmetrical formation of images alludes to this idea of the unique and a bit out of the ordinary. This juxtaposition is also important to my design and concept, as shown throughout where I chose exotic ingredients from varying cuisines and posed them together to create interesting and odd looking combinations to reinforce the visual concept of mix ethnicity contrast.
