Sara explores archaeology through graphic design

‘I genuinely didn’t know what graphic design was. For a long time, I was torn between different creative courses. Illustration, Fine Art, I considered all kinds of things. Then I found a book about graphic design in a second-hand shop. I flicked through it and thought: oh… this is actually what I’ve been doing all along. I just didn’t have a word for it yet.’

She continued her search and eventually found Graphic Design Arnhem. It was the tutors in particular who made her realise it was a good fit ‘They all have their own studios and are actively working in the field. It shows you that there isn’t just one way to be a designer. Everyone brings their own practice, which gives you the space to find your own direction.

‘We almost never start by saying: I want it to look like this. You start by asking: what is it about? Only then do you explore what form fits that idea.’This approach is reflected in everything Sara makes. She created a documentary about her father and his love of Bob Dylan, co-wrote an essay with a fellow student about how textile art is undervalued, and designed books in many different forms. For her, film, writing, research and typography are all part of graphic design. ‘You’re communicating something. Whether it’s a book, a film or an essay. That’s design.’ 

For her graduation project, Sara combined two worlds that may seem to have little in common at first: archaeology and graphic design. ‘I wondered whether I could use archaeology as a method for design.’

She created a book and an installation titled Tell me what isn’t there. In it, she used damaged archaeological objects from the Dutch National Collection and filled in the missing parts with typography and metadata. During the exhibition, visitors were invited to take prints with them. ‘In a way, people were doing their own excavation. And as they did, the installation gradually became smaller. That’s also what’s happening with archaeology in the Netherlands. We’re excavating things faster than new things are being added.’

Along the way, she discovered that her project was not only about history, but also about the work archaeologists do. ‘People often think archaeologists mainly dig. But really, they’re storytellers. They piece things together, research them and reconstruct a complete picture from individual fragments. I think it might be the most creative job in science.’ 

One of the most important lessons Sara takes with her comes from exchanges with her tutors. ‘They kept telling me: ‘you find it interesting, so it’s interesting enough to explore’. I found that difficult at first because I wondered whether my ideas were too strange or small. By constantly reflecting on my process and receiving feedback, I became more confident. No one knows exactly what they’re doing. That goes for students, but for professionals too. I found that very reassuring.’

According to Sara, that is exactly what makes Graphic Design Arnhem special: an international community where students support each other, different perspectives come together and you are encouraged to become and stay curious. ‘ You learn the ability to discover through making’ 

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