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Winnie Chang

MFA in Graphic Design - 3 Yr Path — Graduate Graphic Design
Course:
Grad Typography 3
Faculty:
Angad Singh
Term:
2024 Fall

Tangled Souls

Tangled Souls is an exhibition identity created for artist Chiharu Shiota, whose large installations of red, black, and white threads explore memory and human connection. I chose serif typography to reflect the depth of her work and added subtle line elements that echo the feeling of threads. The design remains intentionally delicate, allowing her powerful installations to take center stage while adding a gentle layer of support.

Process:

The project began by analyzing Chiharu Shiota’s work through themes of memory, connection, and tension, rather than focusing only on visual elements. “Tangled Souls” was developed as a name that captures both physical threads and emotional relationships. A flexible visual system was built using typography, spacing, and linework to reflect interwoven movement. This system was then applied across print, spatial, and digital platforms, with interactive elements like a digital message wall and QR-based auction page extending the experience beyond the exhibition space.

Learning Outcomes:

This project strengthened the ability to translate abstract concepts into a cohesive visual system that works across multiple platforms. It also developed a deeper understanding of how to balance an artist’s original work with a complementary identity, ensuring the design enhances rather than competes. Through integrating interactive elements, the project expanded thinking beyond static visuals, focusing on audience engagement and experience. Overall, it reinforced the importance of designing systems that are both concept-driven and adaptable across different contexts.

Project Website:
https://www.winniechangdesign.com/tangled-souls
Tags:
Branding,
Identity Design,
Publication Design,
Typography,
Wayfinding
Exhibition entry.
The Tangled Souls posters translate the movement of thread into typography and composition, creating a visual language that expresses connection, tension, and flow.
The wall graphics and wayfinding system draw directly from Shiota’s threaded installations, using flowing lines to guide visitors through the space with a sense of quiet continuity. Large serif typography anchors each room, echoing the emotional weight of her work while keeping the visual language gentle and unobtrusive. Together, the lines and type create a subtle pathway that leads visitors through the exhibition without distracting from the power of the installations themselves.
An interactive digital wall where visitors trace, write, and connect their own memories, becoming part of an evolving network of threads.
The exhibition catalog extends the identity through soft gradients, delicate thread textures, and refined serif typography. Each spread is paced with quiet space and subtle rhythm to reflect the meditative quality of Shiota’s work. The design remains minimal and calm, allowing the imagery and themes of memory, tension, and connection to unfold with clarity and intention.
MoMA website.
The web experience continues the exhibition’s visual language online with soft thread textures and refined type. Visitors can access the auction page through a QR code on their wristband ticket, allowing them to explore and bid on works after leaving the gallery. All proceeds support MoMA’s education and outreach programs, extending the impact of the exhibition beyond the physical space.
The print applications translate the identity into tactile moments that visitors can hold and take home. Postcards, stickers, wristbands, packaging, and merchandise all use the same delicate thread motifs and refined typography to maintain a cohesive visual language. Each piece is designed to feel like a small extension of the exhibition, capturing the quiet tension and emotional resonance of Shiota’s work in accessible, everyday forms.