Categorical thinking

Humans think in categories. In my work I like to offer the viewer a fresh perspective: like stories about a blind journalist, a female CEO of a financial company, or the story of mobile phones being lifesavers during a humanitarian disaster. Breaking stereotypes reveals the bigger picture. It makes people wonder, think and eventually allow new information to enter the fold.

A layered story

I try to tell stories that resonate with differently informed people. For this to work, a layering of messages is needed. By giving contextual information about place and circumstance, as well as specific information about the identity of people, a layered story can be built. The challenge is to have these types of information work in a way that is complementary to the main message. A clean minimal design and carefully chosen visual associations are tools that allow for the telling of a layered story that is both clear and appealing.

Representation

I firmly believe that if you are given the power to represent people or a story, you should do so with an awareness of your own bias. You need to realise your own responsibility with regard to what you are representing. You need to listen, let people tell their own story and where possible give them part-ownership of the story, if you want to represent as truthfully as possible.