Institute of Art Design + Technology Dún Laoghaire
Ireland’s campus for the Creative Industries

Darragh Black 

BA [Hons] Visual Communication Design

Hey there, my name is Darragh and I'm a passionate and excited designer who loves bold concepts and expressive imagery. During my studies, I've developed skills in motion and digital design to tell stories and solve problems. I love to do a little bit of everything and learn new skills during a project. I believe a key part of being a good designer is learning from other disciplines and applying them to my work (i.e film-making, music, storytelling, and game design).

Totem

Totem is a speculative solution to the problem of running out of space for cemeteries and physical graves in a hyper urbanized future. People are only able to afford cremation so there is no more physical space to go to grieve or reminisce. Users wear a ring that catalogs their life on and offline, storing it securely so that when they pass away only family and friends can access the data.

The deceased can have their digital totem serve the same purpose as a physical grave for a fraction of the cost and space while also offering the same cathartic grieving experience for the bereaved family and friends at home or abroad.

To illustrate this story I have designed a brand identity and promotional video for the company that highlights how the Totem Ring collects data and can keep the users' data safe in a blockchain vault that only loved ones have access to. The mobile app I designed is intended to substitute the physical graveyard as users see their family and friends connected in a digital afterlife where their most cherished moments can be shared with family when they depart.


How Religion and Culture Inform Fear

This thesis compares how American and Ghanaian cultures communicate their subconscious cultural fears through the medium of the horror film poster.