Abstract
In August 2020, the terms “pads” and “period poverty” trended on Chinese social media site Weibo. Upon clicking on these hashtags, I discovered that there are many people were cannot afford disposal hygiene products. Some of the comments also surprised me because some online users ridiculed those who were discussing period poverty, and many of the hecklers were also women. This reminded me of a conversation I had with my roommate during freshman year. She mentioned this issue saying, “The government needs to include women’s hygiene products in Medicare or include it in social benefits for the poor— like food stamps.” Overall, this problem begs the question, how can we normalize conversations about feminine care, and in this case, how can we use graphic design to facilitate these conversations?
During my study at PNCA, I took Marketing & Branding course with Monica. I worked on a brand identity project on maternal products, and have since continued to focus on the female market. As I began to understand the role of graphic and brand design in the process and as a woman, I believe that highlighting these issues concerning the female body through graphic design can bring about a significant impact on society and help improve women’s health and quality of life.
When I started investigating this topic, I found very little information about the relationship between graphic design and feminine care products. This prompted me to pursue this topic further. My hope is that the project resonates among women, and brings attention to women’s issues. I hope that society can provide more options for women in the future.
I did a brand design of a period concept pop-up store focus on teenagers. The store curates a collation of goods and books from hundreds of different brands and independent makers for people who want to support the community. I conduct a design analysis (booklet) that includes general information on menstrual cycles, reviews on different types of hygiene products and brands available in the market, and also other resources that teenagers may access to know more about periods and feminine care. I also designed some merch including sticker pack, calendar poster, calendar cards, and subscription boxes by using different printing techniques including digital printing, riso printing, and screenprinting.
The product and deliverables I am working function in contemporary visual culture such that aims to evoke conversations about important issues and taboos through design. By designing striking designs that draw people’s attention and appeal to their standards of visual aesthetics, I hope to not only introduce the brand but specifically draw teenagers who have specific tastes and interests. I hope that over time, we would live in a society where a brand that sells feminine care products become recognizable enough that it prompts the normalization of discussions about period.
Through this project, I hope to encourage discourse about periods to help teenagers, especially girls, feel more confident about this aspect of their physiological identity. I hope that Auntie’s Shop will help build a community that supports women and promotes feminine care.
Artist Statement
I’m a graphic design student from PNCA. I was born and raised in a small town in Fuzhou, China. I was influenced by a lot of Chinese traditional art, history, and cultures since I was little. I moved to America with my family when I was 14. The culture here is so different than the place where I grew up. I feel the cultural collision between the two countries and it helps me to view the world differently. I took a digital art class in high school and started fall in love with digital/visual design. So this is what brought me to come to PNCA.
My thesis is about the role of graphic design in raising awareness about feminine care as a practice as well as feminine care products. I was raised in a conservative community where women do not feel comfortable talking about menstruation and other period-related topics often due to stereotypes, prejudices, and taboos. Society may address this problem in various ways and one strategy may be to apply graphic design to facilitate important conversations about periods no matter how uncomfortable. Addressing this problem is highly important because society’s unwillingness to talk about this issue limits women’s knowledge and understanding of feminine care.
This project fits into my portfolio of work because it not only rep- resents my aspirations but also my creative mind and ability to develop de- signs to meet specific goals and objectives. In the past, I used to do minor projects for various courses but this allows me to do something that is personal to me that represents my views, perspectives, ideas, and culture. Therefore, I can use this opportunity to show who I am and reflect my goal of using art to build communities, nurture cultures, and practice different approaches to art and design that breaks limiting traditions.
Overall, through this project, I hope to apply my knowledge and creativity by developing a brand that represents my culture and values.
