P001 — Everything Will be Okay?
2024- Graphic Design
- Mixed Media
Through decades, the quote “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end”, has resonated with people, though its precise origins remain a mystery. This positive outlook on life has been widely embraced, with many attributing the words to renowned figures like John Lennon. However, despite the frequent association, researchers have been unable to find any credible source directly linking the quote to Lennon or his writings. Shrouded in uncertainty, its true authorship bears potential connections to other thinkers, such as Brazilian author and journalist Fernando Sabino, who wrote a remarkably similar sentiment in Portuguese in the 1970s or 1980s, and Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho, known for The Alchemist, who has used uplifting phrases akin to the quote, though not the exact wording. Oscar Wilde’s reputation for witty, paradoxical statements has also led some to speculate a possible link, given the quote’s blend of irony and optimism.
In my interpretation of this timeless wisdom, I’ve taken a more cynical, snarky approach, reflecting on the current state of the world. With the 2024 US elections as a backdrop, I question whether the end is always, in fact, okay. As developments unfold, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain an optimistic outlook. My design choices embody this sentiment, where inverted black and white create a negative effect, instilling anthropomorphic characters with a creepy, eerie quality. Within their contextual placement, this negative effect works to dissociate the OK hand gesture from its recent appropriation as a hate symbol. A collage of soulless clipart becomes a vehicle to express my disillusionment, stripping these symbols of their original context and transforming them into an empty representation of a forced positive mindset. Distorted text further reflects the warping influence of my own negative perspective on the promise of this timeless quote. Ultimately, this project can be seen as a meditation on the world’s current state that grapples with the complexities of maintaining hope in challenging times.