I N T R O W E L C O M E to Print on Purpose: Volume I, the visual voice of the students from the Fall 2022 cohort of DESIGN 236P, "Print on Purpose." As you turn the pages of this newspaper, you will discover that it goes beyond being a collection of words and imagery composed for the final assignment. It serves as a testament to the timeless power of print – a medium that has historically narrated tales of resistance, existence, resilience, and revolution. From humble lawn signs, provocative pamphlets, and graffiti to defiant newspapers like our own, print continues to catalyze discourse and drive change. Volume I is rooted in our students' stories, experiences, reflections, and their audacious efforts to harness the power of print. Inspired by historical and contemporary movements that have harnessed the strength of print design, Print on Purpose has taken us on a journey of discovery and innovation. It would be disingenuous to claim that everything went exactly as planned because our inaugural class surpassed expectations in ways none of us could have foreseen. From the outset, our course set a clear intention: to equip students with prompts and tools that would enable them to confidently determine and visually communicate what they care about. We did not expect them to solidify their individual purposes within the span of ten weeks, as we firmly believe that this endeavor often takes more time. Instead, our goal was for each student to leave the class with an expanded understanding of purpose and print, which they could continue to evolve even after the course concluded. Throughout every class session, homework assignment, and workshop, we delved deep into the craft of print, exploring its layers – typography, color, subject, and medium. We examined design history with a focus on activism and social change, encoura-
ging students to find purpose in their own stories, life experiences, insecurities, and personal passions. We were immediately struck by the openness with which they approached class discussions. This vulnerability and transparency translated into design assignments that felt deeply personal, fostering a creative environment where stories about colonial land possession, parental love, creative potential, ancestry, and more found a shared space to coexist. On our journey towards this final project, we not only explored the nuances of print and visual communication but also embraced the art of criticism and feedback, understanding their critical role in shaping better ideas and fostering growth. We created zines, experimented with screenprinting, and learned from experts about the technical aspects of storytelling and printmaking. Volume I showcases experiments with typography, ambitious ventures into defining purpose, and a shared dedication to exploration that transformed individual assignments into a collective triumph. These pages carry more than fonts and graphics; they carry a mission – a mission to echo the important, amplify the unheard, and bring visibility to what is often invisible. As you unfold these pages, remember that you are not merely reading a newspaper; you are stepping into a vibrant dialogue, a call for change, and a testimony to the transformative power of print. Just as "Print on Purpose" implies, we have created with purpose, printed with purpose, and now, we invite you to observe with purpose. Let the ink on these pages challenge your understanding, inspire thought, and encourage you to leave your own mark on the world. We express our heartfelt gratitude to our amazing inaugural class, and we thank you, the reader, for engaging with this body of work. – M I L A N D R A K E , P A T R IC K F E N T O N & IN D Y A M c G U F F I N (Print on Purpose Instructors)
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(Contributors) D A N I E L J. A H R E N S KE AO HONUAI AKEA A N T H O N Y G A B R I E L L A D. B E R T R A N J U A N C A M A R A N Y A M E K Y E C O L E M A N M I L A N T. D R A K E ELLIE D U N N AL E X ANDE R E S C U D E R O PATRICK ALLEN F E N T O N TESS CHARL Y N HE G ART Y ELISSA A N N K L O P F E R C E C I L I A Y U L U LEI S T E L L A J I N G Y I LI INDYA M C G U F F I N TOBIAS MC I NT O S H BRYANT DANIEL M E N D E Z M E L C H O R A D R I A A. N Y A R K O J A R E D RYAN POBLETE EMI LI O E Z E Q U I E L RIVAS JULIA R O S E VEITH G A O S H E N G YANG
P R I N T O N P U R P O S E was a course hosted in Stanford University’s d.school Fall of 2022. It investigates how social justice is imprinted in our local, national, and global consciousness. Students learned about historical and contemporary contexts, from Noname Book Club to Emory Douglas’s prints for the Black Panther Party, and social movements that leverage print, as well as printed-matter production methods.
I N S T R U C T O R S : Milan Drake, Patrick Fenton, Indya McGuffin. C L A S S : Daniel J. Ahrens, Keao Honuaiakea Anthony, Gabriella D. Bertran, Juan Camara, Nyamekye Coleman, Ellie Dunn, Alexander Escudero, Tess Charlyn Hegarty, Elissa Ann Klopfer, Cecilia Yulu Lei, Stella Jingyi Li, Tobias McIntosh, Bryant Daniel Mendez Melchor, Adria A. Nyarko, Matthias Paschetag, Jared Ryan Poblete, Emilio Ezequiel Rivas, Julia Rose Veith, Skip Victor, Gaosheng Yang.
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T H A N K Y O U to our guest lecturers, Zio Ziegler, Pantea Karimi, and Maira McDermott. We also appreciate Menaja Ganesh and the Letterform Archive, as well as, Dylan Sherman and the McEvoy Foundation for the Arts for hosting amazing field trips.
Publication cover: Jared Ryan Poblete and Patrick Fenton. Publication interior: Gaosheng Yang and Indya McGuffin. Printed by www.PRINTNEWSPAPER.COM and typeset in Times New Roman and Syne.
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A S A P A R T of our class's creative journey, Print on Purpose included a series of immersive field trips and workshops. During the initial planning phases of Print on Purpose, the teaching team heard about a show that opened in July 2022 called "Strikethrough: Typographic Messages of Protest" at the Letterform Archive in San Francisco (Figure 2.1). It was the perfect opportunity to see historical and contemporary purpose-driven print work firsthand. We were fortunate to have M E N A J A G A N E S H , a Guest Experience & Programming Coordinator, introduce us to the exhibition. The show, curated by Silas Munro of the design studio Polymode along with Stephen Coles from the Letterform Archive, showcased original work by Emory Douglas for the Black Panthers, original works by Amos Kennedy reinforcing the importance of voting, Visualizations of Black America in the 1890s by W.E.B. DuBois and Atlanta University students, and many other noteworthy representations of protest and expressions in support of social justice movements. We found each student was drawn to different works of art. It highlighted, in many ways, that allowing them to have unique and individual experiences with others’ stories impacts conversations that are important to them.
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The visit to the Letterform Archive animated our conversations as we walked from that exhibition to the McEvoy Foundation, where we saw an exhibition called "Color Code" (Figure 2 . 0 ) . This exhibition celebrated the ways that color conveys meaning and changes our understanding of narratives. It was on the occasion of McEvoy's fifth anniversary and was accompanied by a newsprint publication, "The Fifth Edition", wherein artists experimented with graphic representations of color. Their newspaper inspired and guided our class efforts, raising the bar on what is possible in small-batch print publications. We had the privilege of collaborating with the Bay Area artist Z I O Z I E G L E R to help us transform our ideas around purpose into visually stunning screenprints. In preparation for the screenprinting workshop, students worked individually to define the word "purpose" through a study of works they'd previously listened to, read, and seen. After being put into small groups, they were challenged to synthesize their individual definitions into a collectively curated zine. The following week, they were asked to distill their ideas into images that could be screenprinted. They went from 20 individual definitions of purpose on week two, to five screens burned with a unique take on "purpose" three weeks later.
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This amazing transformation, from individual artifacts and combined narratives to distilled images, was made more special when Zio joined the class to bring the images to life through screenprinting (Figures 3 . 0 , 3 . 1 , and 3 . 2 ) . His "learn by doing" approach meant students were taping and flooding their screens minutes after our class began. Ziegler's expertise and infectious passion for his craft ignited a sense of awe and curiosity among our students, compelling them to experiment with color and composition. Untangling the logistics required to turn a d.school studio into a screenprinting studio (complete with a cleaning station) only made subsequent workshops smoother and, with enough resourcefulness, encouraged us to ask, "What type of printmaking experience can we bring to class next?"
different hair patterns and styles, students discovered the art of creating nuanced textures, fluid lines, and ethereal compositions. We revisited zine-making right before our students were assigned the creative brief for their final compositions. In collaboration with M A I R A M C D E R M O T T , an integral member of the Bay Area Queer Zine Festival team, our students delved into the vibrant world of zines (Figures 5 . 0 and 5 . 1 ). Maria celebrated the intersection of art, culture, and activism with students as they explored the power of self-publishing and alternative storytelling. This workshop was the perfect way to kick off the development of their final compositions. Maria's commitment to fostering inclusivity inspired our students to embrace their unique perspectives and engage in conversations about identity, community, and social change.
We were joined during week 7 by P A N T E A K A R I M I for a trace monotype workshop (Figures 4 . 0 and 4 . 1 ). Karimi is an Iranian-American multidisciplinary artist, researcher, and educator. Completely exemplifying "printing on purpose," she provided an honest and open look into her craft and personal connection to her work. Iran's visual culture, her gender, and her upbringing in Iran intertwined with conflicting political, religious, and societal issues shined in the presentation she gave to the students at the beginning of class. Inspired by her work, "cube is NOT geometric" (2022), Pantea introduced students to a unique printmaking method by tracing and manipulating images on a glass plate. While tracing over images of
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I N D E X BRYANT DANIEL M E N D E Z MELCHOR
JULIA ROSE VEITH
EMILIO EZEQUIEL RIVAS
TESS CHARLYN HEGARTY
GABRIELLA D. BERTRAN
JARED RYAN POBLETE
Indigenous Mexicans often face discrimination for their dark skin, short stature, and for speaking an indigenous language. My piece serves to show pride in one’s indigenous features – "I am small and powerful, brown and beautiful."
Human Beings have the supreme ability to f*ck up so incredibly badly that it could be considered a gift. At Stanford, we erase that a bit, we make ourselves into Robots programmed to be perfect. No one is. No one is alone, you are not alone, shame dies in the light, so shout it out! Being a human is beautiful, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Growing up in a low-income neighborhood and household, financial difficulties were frequent in my life and the lives of those close to me. Through the development of graphics and patterns, I incorporated motifs and symbols related to this issue, hoping to raise awareness in a way that would resonate with the audience.
This piece highlights the global consequences that arise from the entanglement of Stanford's School of Sustainability with Big Oil money. It depicts an oil pipeline winding around Stanford's iconic main quad like a snake, symbolically dripping oil (money) on the ground. The imagery serves as a metaphor for the dangerous fusion of financial influence, fueling a fire that is gradually consuming the fuse leading to an impending Earth-bomb. It represents how the funding from Big Oil perpetuates a destructive force, slowly consuming the fuse leading to an impending environmental disaster. The foreground showcases an array of protest posters inspired by real images from the Coalition for a True School of Sustainability's protests, while also incorporating a QR code for a call to action.
Every morning before school, my mom and I would go feed the birds before my school bus picked me up. Reflecting upon this tradition, I realize how much my parents sacrificed as immigrants to get to that one moment. The top side is the skyline view of Peru with its native bird, the Cuculi, while the bottom side is a skyline view of New York City and its native bird, the Rock Dove.
“I HATE MYSELF AND YOU LOVE ME FOR IT” – Barbara Kruger, ‘Untitled (Selfie)’
KEAO HONUAIAKEA ANTHONY
NYAMEKYE COLEMAN
STELLA JINGYI LI
DANIEL J. AHRENS
ADRIA A. NYARKO
ALEXANDER ESCUDERO
I was motivated to create this piece to discuss what it means to know where you come from. As a displaced Hawaiian doing semi-scholarly things up here at Stanford, the social codes and norms make it easy to forget the place that I come from. What do we chase here? What are our values? What do we respect? While the answers to these questions are all valid, they differ from place to place.
Who is Black? America’s Definition
In Chinese, the character 窝 means (noun) nest, home, hollow on the human body, lair, place; (verb) shelter, hold in, bend; (classifier) brood of animals. What if home isn’t just a place of comfort—what if it’s an illusion, a self-loathing, a set of words, a turn of the seasons, a part of the body, something impermanent, even something awful?
In Northern New Mexico, the impacts of colonial land possession are felt by everyone in the Land of Enchantment. In this piece, I created English and Spanish posters inspired by the acequia system—a community-managed irrigation system inherited from Spain. The two posters are nearly identical when cut down the middle, but the lines of water flowing through acequias show the interconnectedness of communities in Northern New Mexico.
Black Beauty is Blue in the Sunlight
I hope my work empowers you to reach your own creative potential and reminds you of your power to transform into whomever or whatever you truly are. As long as you can dream, the power to manifest metamorphosis will be yours, because what you see in your visions is who you are meant to be.
As a Hawaiian and the first in my family to come to a school like this, I’ve dubbed it my responsibility to maintain the ideals of my culture, my people, and my home in all of the things that I do. I come from a little valley called Kaʻaʻawa on the East Side of Oʻahu. My purpose is evolving, but will always be modified with Hawaiʻi in mind. As an artist, I want people to remember that where you come from is important. No matter the graffiti stains or colorful rainbows.
America’s classification of “blackness” is as intricate and complex as the nation’s racial history. This piece — a collage depicting US laws that emphasized color as a defining feature, contrasted with stark depictions of Americana — encourages viewers to reflect on their own cultural identity and compare that to how Black Americans have been stripped of their own cultures and heritage and reduced to one monolithic entity.
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Through this lens, I want to both reckon with the unsavory aspect of the homes we situate ourselves in and celebrate the tenderness of our acts of nesting, writing a love letter to the people by whom I want to be seen, people who hurt when I hurt and bear witness to my worst, people whom I could never repay, my nest, my home, my love, my people, my people.
Being Black and beautiful is to live in one’s true self-expression. For Black people, that can mean wearing their kinky coils in a loose puff, a shaved head and a durag, a head full of starter locs or faux locs, as when we stand on our range we touch the sky.
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A drunk freshman once told me, “Art is never finished; it’s only abandoned.” So, here, I offer you nothing but me. I am not finished, I am not abandoned; I am alive. And, I guess, that’s purpose enough.
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ELLIE DUNN
JUAN CAMARA
TOBIAS M c INTOSH
Over 2.2 million people are currently incarcerated in the United States, and 1 in 20 people, 1 in 11 men, and 1 in 3 Black men spend time in prison in their lifetime. The handcuffs on the central American figure are meant to remind the viewer of these sobering statistics: America is imprisoned. This figure has no face, representing the way prisons dehumanize and remove people from society. The viewer is directly challenged to fight for prison abolition, and the text around the outside intends to persuade, anger, and inspire.
Right now my purpose is to work as hard as I can so that I can achieve all of my goals. One of those goals is to escape poverty, because by doing this it will also allow me to help my family. This will help me to give my future kids and wife a better life than the one I had growing up. I want to be able to go back into my community to mentor kids and help families. I have taken this responsibility onto my shoulders just as my ancestors took on that weight before me. I carry the strength of those that came before me which will help me endure. My purpose is to be a light for others that have been left in the dark, but first I must escape that darkness myself. As someone wise once told me, "you can't help others if you first don't help yourself." I continue to work to achieve all my goals so that I can help those that need help.
For my project, I wanted to highlight African American kids going against the norm and skateboarding, which is usually stereotyped as a sport for White people. My overall goal is for African American skaters, like myself, to see this piece and feel empowered.
CECILIA YULU LEI
GAOSHENG YANG
ELISSA ANN KLOPFER
Although simple in appearance, the piece contains secret, scattered hearts in order to convey the indirect way Chinese parents show their love. By encapsulating how Chinese American parents might express their love, oftentimes by acts of service rather than saying the words “I love you,” I hope to share my appreciation and understanding of my own parents and remind others about the different ways of showing and receiving love.
My work visually demands for Stanford to disaggregate their student ethnic identity data to each of the university’s community centers. The goal is to give visibility to underrepresented and marginalized communities on- and off-campus, as well as increasing outreach and admission. It is important for individuals in the aforementioned communities to know they have individuals like them at top institutions, feel seen, and feel a sense of purpose with the work they do.
“Love makes life worth living” – a sweet sentiment most of us have heard and wouldn’t question. It’s worth asking, however, why love is so overrepresented in our media and our minds as just that between a romantic (and sexually intimate) couple. As a member of the queer community and on the asexuality spectrum, those are not the relationships that I have had - not those that I have cherished. Life and love doesn’t need to fit an image to feel fulfilling.
F I G U R E On the first day of class, students were asked to write a letter to a past version of themselves. The following week, they interpreted themes found within their letters in the form of a t-shirt graphic, sticker, and poster. Their work evolved to address the conversations that were most important to them, and culminated with statements of purpose and visual expressions. Image: Indigenousness, 2019 by Cynthia Brannvall
So here is to all of you – my family, my friends, my community. I shouldn’t have to prove it, but here it is anyways: my love is not missing.
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