Alan Watts was a Zen Buddhist philosopher who played a role in bringing Eastern ideas to the Western world in the 1960’s and 70’s. Among many other things, he emphasized the idea that the present is all that truly exists, and the importance of living mindfully in it, as opposed to letting it be eclipsed by worry about the past or future. Maybe it’s because of the uncertainty of my future, or the fleeting feeling I get when I think about my current place in life, but upon learning about these ideas in the pasts few months, I became eager to absorb this mindset, and it manifested itself in this poster series. Process became equally as important as the final product. Every piece was executed in a way that required my mind and body to be completely engaged with the task at hand. It was, in a sense, a form of meditation. The original pieces are ephemeral, made with media chosen specifically to illuminate the content of the words, without regard to physical permanence or stability. I chose to present them in photographic poster form, with a designer’s hope that viewers will resonate with the words, as I did, and can imagine using the posters as a daily reminder to stay present, or as a starter of meaningful conversation in one’s home.
ALAN WATTS NO. 1: DETAIL
Staples and glue on black mat board
ALAN WATTS NO. 2: PEACE
Clay, sand, and water in a jar
ALAN WATTS NO. 3: PRESENT
6 hours on Etch-a-Sketch
ALAN WATTS NO. 4: ILLUSION
Licorice, saliva, sugar, gummy bears, and corn on foam core
ALAN WATTS NO. 5: EXISTENCE
Found, pressed leaves on paper
ALAN WATTS NO. 6: DUALITY
Wire and light on paper
ALAN WATTS NO. 7: PERCEPTION
Latex paint on paper
****The photos of posters in space are not mine, they were found on designspiration and I shopped my posters in as an example****
