Color to reduce pressure
Many students experience anxieties about how they are perceived to perform within society. They are assessed on grades or an extensive CV and they compare themselves with the perfect picture on social media. After graduation many students have to deal with study debts and the high costs resulting from the housing crisis. That means that students have to work hard during their time at college. This is sometimes referred to as “performing pressure”, and often feels like students are under pressure to fulfill internal or external expectations. The pressure of performance is a serious problem of students well-being.
With the project “Color to reduce pressure” I give visibility to this problem, by basing the design on various stories of students who experienced difficulties to constantly perform well. The illustration is painted on a mural in the school. The visitors, especially students, are invited to colorize this giant coloring page during the graduation show. Inviting students to be part of this artwork reflects how they are central to this subject.
“Let’s all be present in the moment.”
Coloring provides relaxation and lowers your stress level. When the focus is here and now, we re-learn to be present at the moment. All “colored” areas illustrate to students how they are all connected in this process. It visualizes the way that they are not the only ones dealing with the pressure to perform. Together we are responsible for the colored mural. This translates into how important it is to work together in society, which will reduce pressure as well. Collectively we re-learn through an immersive drawing experience.
Lotte Prins
IG @prinslotte
