The Centipede Challenge

Exhibition, Various Works

Spring 2024

The Brief:

For around 5 months, I was tasked with creating an exhibition show that focused around a specific topic in order to showcase my graphic design skills. The exhibition specifics were that it had to have three elements: an interactive portion, a digital portion, and display element.

Conceptualization:

I decided for my topic that I wanted the exhibition to be centered around OCD, and more specifically, putting the audience in the shoes of somebody who goes through it. As someone with OCD, I feel as if it a disorder that has quite a bit of misunderstanding, as well as not enough awareness. Because of this, I wanted to create a experience for people that helped them understand what it actually means to have OCD. In order to do this, I wanted to recreate the experience of intrusive thoughts, and how the compulsive behaviors that come with OCD stem from the intrusive thoughts, and trying to create a distraction.

Execution:

To accomplish this, I decided that I wanted to create a domestic space to represent how OCD affects people in their everyday lives. In order to create the experience of intrusive thoughts and compulsions, I decided that I would make a game or challenge out of it, hence, “The Centipede Challenge”. The challenge worked like this: the audience would interact with the exhibit per usual, but whenever they saw any imagery or mention of centipedes, they would have to go to the back wall, labeled “Sanitation Station”, go to one of the areas on the wall, and follow the directions that were posted near said area. They would partake in this task until they were no longer thinking about centipedes, and then they would continue to go about the exhibition as they were before.

Each of the projects that are showcased in the Centipede Challenge are different ways to represent the struggle of trying to find solace during times of growing intrusive thoughts. The map is a representation of the confusion one may go through when they are struggling with their OCD and may not understand what is happening. The video, “The Adventures of Laser Frog and Mighty Mouse” represents how someone with OCD may use as comfort show to try and distract themselves from their thoughts, only for the intrusive thoughts to creep themselves into the content in one way or another. The posters are also a demonstration of how intrusive thoughts will find a way to creep up wherever they can.