Student designs engage with the innovative and provocative

Condoms can cause a lot of stir at this school, and Thursday night in the Vachon Gallery it was especially true. "Kinky" condoms was among the most attention-grabbing designs on display at the opening for "Frame of Mind," this year's exhibition of work by digital design students.

"[Frame of Mind] is the end product of a whole sequence," says Naomi Kasumi, digital designprofessor.

The program has three stages. Fifteen digital design juniors and seniors first took digital imaging, then typography and finally graphic design. The group went through each phase of classes together as a cohort. "Frame of Mind" is the final combustion of the sequence, containing both new projects and refined versions of works created during the process.


Visual displays consisting of informative design posters and T-shirts, creative product designs, campaign designs and comic strips are set up on walls and tables throughout the room. A slideshow depicts animated works.

In addition to the student's designs, the event hosted a raffle with prizes from Stumptown Coffee, Utrecht Art Supplies, Piecora's and more. Proceeds went to non-profit Art with Heart.

Art with Heart is an organization whose mission is to meet the diverse needs of children in crisis. They accomplish this by creating therapeutic books and programs that help youth heal from trauma through creative expression.

"The director of Art with Heart used to be a graphic designer," Kasumi says. "We are inspired by what she does: she heals kids emotionally, physically, and psychologically, through art."

One of the most provocative and well-trafficked design pieces at the exhibition, "Kinky" condoms are contained in plastic wrappers designed with stick figure sex positions. The stick figures are complete with a green dot covering the genital area, representing the condom. Despite their vulgar appearance, the condoms serve a creative purpose.

"We were supposed to do a product design, and that involved research," says Reinard Sahagun, junior digital design major. "I thought condoms would be interesting to research, and I noticed that most condom packages aren't designed with artistic vision."

Resting alongside a package of ordinary Shield condoms in juxtaposition, "Kinky" condoms emphasize the artistic talent required for effective product design.

On the other hand, "Forest Friends dog and cat toys" by Cari Olsen, senior digital design major, creates a product enjoyable for pet-lovers of all ages. Two construction paper trees bear product labels, and the toys are stuffed inside. The leaves of the tree act as a removable lid.

"All the toys live inside their tree trunk. They live inside their natural habitat," Olsen says.

"Frame of Mind" also exhibits social justice themed student creations. Megan Newell's "Made in Sweatshops" depicts a world map highlighting various products and the city sweatshops in which they are manufactured. The design defines the word "sweatshop," provides a brief timeline of the history of sweatshops and explains the pros and cons of sweatshops.

Featuring a vast array from t-shirt designs to comic strips, "Frame of Mind" showcases the diverse possibilities of digital design.

The exhibit is on display in the Vachon Gallery in the Fine Arts building until May 10.

Dalyce may be reached at lazarisd@seattleu.edu