Ayesha Shahab- MA Graphic Design and Art Direction
I see design as a way of creating connection. I’m interested in how visual communication can make complex ideas easier to understand, give people a sense of recognition, and create space for stories that might otherwise go unheard. My practice is grounded in research, storytelling and empathy, with a particular interest in culture, identity, memory and lived experience.
I’m drawn to projects that sit between the personal and the wider social context, exploring how individual experiences can connect to larger stories of culture, belonging and place. Working across editorial, campaigns, image-making and visual identity, I’m interested in how research-led storytelling can inform different forms of communication, from cultural projects to brand identities.
Research plays an important role in how I work. I use archival material, participant stories and visual research to question assumptions, understand different perspectives and build narratives that feel authentic to the people and experiences they represent. I’m particularly interested in how fragments; images, objects, words, memories and found materials, can be brought together to communicate something that cannot always be expressed directly.
A key part of my practice is finding a balance between clarity and emotion. I want my work to communicate with purpose while still feeling human, approachable and considered. Whether responding to a social issue, exploring cultural identity or drawing from my own experiences, I aim to create work that has a clear reason for existing.
Ultimately, I want my work to communicate something honestly, thoughtfully and with purpose. I’m continuing to question what design can do, who it is for, and how it can create moments of connection between people, ideas, memories and experiences.
