The Damaged Planet Project

“The Damaged Planet Project” involves the recirculation of the text, “Arts of Living on a Damaged Planet: Ghosts and Monsters of the Anthropocene” by Anna Tsing. In the recirculation of the selected portion of her writing, I chose to create a campaign involving the distribution of two types of products that emphasize her message. Tsing speaks about the importance of becoming aware of the microsystems and ecosystems around oneself, and how we as humans have created monsters in other species over time. Our human actions and tendencies cause species to form habits and adaptations in defense of our own way of sustaining life. In our efforts to sustain our own life, we have taken away from other organisms’ environments and systems. The traces of organisms we have left behind or have affected can be seen in our own bodies and even as “ghosts” in landscapes.

 

To effectively spread Tsing’s message to an audience of outdoor enthusiasts and people who often spend time in green spaces, I produced illustrations inspired from Tsing’s theme of symbiosis and every organism being part of a whole. These illustrations were then translated onto the fabric of a picnic blanket to be used in outdoor settings. The picnic blanket has a dual purpose in that it could also be transformed into a display piece or hanging banner. In addition to this, a set of waterproof stickers were made with the purpose of being adhered to cars, which serve as a traveling version of Tsings message. Because the likely target audience consists of outdoor enthusiasts and park-goers, it is intended for these stickers to be seen on vehicles in tourist locations and national park spaces. The products represented in the mockups would be sold and produced through Society6 and advertised through the brand's own Instagram account. This project involved both curating the actual Instagram account, in which the user could access the original text, and setting up the Society6 shop, in which a brand identity needed to be apparent in.