Ella Stevens

Social media in the modern world is infested with false representations of self and the human experience. Placing far too much emphasis on perfectionism, it has become the breeding ground of insecurity that pollutes young minds just trying to find themselves in the world. Like It Or Not is a social campaign that aims to eliminate the rigidity of online media, and instead encourage authenticity, vulnerability and bring social media back to its original purpose, expressions of self and human connection. The campaign includes a guidebook for teens to receive on their sixteenth birthday as a welcome and introduction to social media.

Shaken Cocktail Bar is a proposed business identity, created from the fond memories created with my family from sharing my brother’s love for mixology. The theme for my cocktail bar was very much homely, family oriented, yet sophisticated and classy, providing all potential patrons with a comforting, welcoming and unique experience. My aim through my visual communication was to create a link between my food memory and my proposed identity through a menu of specialty cocktails which reference specific experiences I had with my family over drinks at the kitchen table.

STEM, is leading the world with its cutting edge innovation. However, STEM is seen to be male dominated in all fields, which begs the question; how might we develop a learning tool about simple mathematical addition and subtraction that improves the engagement of female children aged 7-9 so that they may become more involved in STEM in the future? ‘NUMO’, is a game which employs the learning strengths of girls aged 7 to 9 such as collaboration, creativity and context, which aims to stimulate engagement in mathematics. Early education is crucial to providing a foundation of lifelong critical thinking skills and the ability to evolve and innovate, to shape a more diverse, innovative future.

As part of my exploration with photography, I chose to produce a series of photographs which explore the concept of identity and the lack of deeper knowledge we have of the people around us, strangers or people we think we know deeply. I often find great interest in observing people around me and have often wondered about the lives of others in parallel to my own. To the naked eye, people are just people, but each human being houses their own inner triumphs, turmoils and unique stories most of the world is not privy to. My work dissects themes of the human condition and human form and explores the interconnectedness between the subject and the camera.

A book for the Unconventional Publishing elective allowed me to create a piece of print media that was deeply personal and abstract in the way it communicated a series of personal experiences and events. This book shares many life events, social concepts and links to otherworldly ideas as a part of the human experience.