Hysteric Patterns

The Project uses the content of the book “The Yellow Wallpaper” to address themes of feminism. Through this project, we discuss graphically and evidently the condition of women in society. The project aims to unite design with feminist activism. From the book’s narrative, we created a typeface that is intended to be a mirror of the discomfort felt by the protagonist. Also, we have created a new edition for the tale that proposes a dynamic and participative reading, so that everyone, in a way, can better understand what the character goes through in the narrative.

The name Hysterical Patterns refers to the project as a whole. It sheds light on the problematic association of madness - hysteria - with the female figure questioning this paradigm. Debating how the issue of women's mental health was actually treated during our history.

The type is used to create “texture” pages representing the yellow wallpaper. It is supposed to be uncomfortable to read. Symbolising the feeling of the book's protagonist - left in isolation in a room with nothing to do except staring at a wallpaper.

We all need to tear down the yellow wallpaper.

The pages of the book are wrapped with a yellow patterned paper; obliging the person reading the book to tear those pages apart in order to access the content.

Like this, we created a parallel with the tale of the book. The protagonist feels trapped inside a room and tears down the yellow wallpaper as a symbolic act of freedom.