Candy Herrera-Mateo

Artist Statement

"I'm Okay." According to the Boston University School of Public Health, the rate of depression has worsened since COVID and has climbed to 32.8 percent; approximately one in every three Americans is more likely to experience depression. “I’m Okay” seeks to educate audiences on the eight forms of depression and emulate the emotions of awareness, self-consciousness and uneasiness. Major, Bipolar, Seasonal, Psychotic, Postpartum, Premenstrual Dysphoric, and Situational depression are shown through a series of posters using typography and manipulated photos. Each disorder is represented by a series of layers making up the final of the poster, to suggest the peeling of the emotions experienced. My intent is for the poster series to serve as an interactive experience for guests. Viewers will be asked to go to the artwork and hold up each layer to fully reveal an image. Instead of one communication from someone who has been directly impacted by the illness, the viewer will interact with the poster as a word, object, and person.

View more of Candy's work.

IMAGE GALLERY

Click through to enlarge and view individual artworks from Candy's thesis project.