Date of Award
Spring 5-30-2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
Department
Graphic Design
First Advisor
Bethany Johns
Second Advisor
Hammet Nurosi
Third Advisor
Nora Khan
Abstract
The perspectives that I present throughout My Millennial Asian Fetishized American Fantasy are South Korean-centric, biased, absurd, skewed, unfair, and real.
Instead of being nostalgic, the contents introduce questions—ones that persist as I examine my design practice. They open a process of dialogue with the present, while provoking a consideration of the future:
1) If I am a product of capitalism and globalization, how might I better interrogate and define my cultural DNA?
2) What is my approach to the evolving conception of graphic design under new (technological, ethical, ontological) conditions?
3) What interests and concerns truly engage me, such that I can continue to pursue them willingly and freely in my post-graduate practice?
To tackle these questions, I look at the systems and models of authority that influence me. I analyze my generational perspective, my obsession with logos, and my ambition to crossbreed unrelated concepts and images. What emerges is the anxiety of a Millenial-Asian encountering an illusion of utopia. This book catalogues memories, conversations, research, and viewpoints. Accompanying my research and project documentation, I share some personal anecdotes that both reflect my cultural background and interests, serving as a foundation for the included works.
Seyong Ahn May 2020, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Recommended Citation
Ahn, Seyong, "My millennial Asian fetishized American fantasy" (2020). Masters Theses. 512.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/masterstheses/512
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.