CASE STUDY .03 | 759.2 STR
Domestic Surrealism
The Photomashup Series
A four-part visual exploration where domestic interiors become surreal thresholds. Each piece transforms familiar spaces into portals of queer imagination—where nature intrudes, memory blooms, and identity reshapes the room.
The Challenge
How do we use photomontage to explore the tension between interior domestic spaces and surreal natural forces—while honoring queer identity and rural imagination? The challenge was creating work that felt emotionally resonant, visually stunning, and deeply rooted in lived experience.
The Solution
Through community interviews, visual research, and iterative design, we created a four-part series that transforms ordinary rooms into extraordinary portals. Each photomashup invites viewers to see the familiar as fantastic—where prairie winds blow through living rooms and bookshelves bloom with wildflowers.
"How might we transform everyday domestic spaces into surreal, queer portals
of imagination and emotional resonance?
001 / DEFINE
Define
002 / DISCOVER
Understand the emotional and cultural needs through community conversations and personal reflection.
003 / DESIGN
004 / DEPLOY
Discover
Design
Deploy
Explore visual metaphors, surrealist techniques, and cultural references from queer rural life.
Translate insights into four distinct photomashups that blend domestic spaces with natural forces.
Test, refine, and share across gallery exhibitions, zines, and digital platforms
DESIGN PROCESS
Riley
They/Them • 30s • Rural Art Teacher
Goals: Inspire students with emotional design
Values: Authenticity, storytelling, reclamation
Pain Points: Disconnected from mainstream design
"I need design that feels like me—messy, magical, and rooted in memory. I want to show my students that their stories matter."
Design Implication: Riley's story shaped our zine layout, poetic captions, and gallery installation. Their need for emotional resonance and creative liberation guided every design choice.
UNDERSTANDING OUR AUDIENCE
VISUAL ARCHIVE
UNDERSTANDING OUR AUDIENCE
CATALOG NO. 759 .2-003
Mirror Rift
Digital Photomashup • 2025 • Theme: Reflection & Rupture
CATALOG NO. 759 .2-004
Bookshelf Bloom
Digital Photomashup • 2025 • Theme: Growth & Reclamation
CATALOG NO. 759 .2-001
Ocean Frame
Digital Photomashup • 2025 • Theme: Tension & Intrusion
CATALOG NO. 759 .2-002
Fireplace Portal
Digital Photomashup • 2025 • Theme: Transformation
2nd Design Component
STATIONARY LIFE
Ivory
#FFFFF0
Egg Shell
#F2F2F2
Gunmetal
#2A3439
Teal Grey
#95A7A4
Brick Red
#C1443C
Mute Pink
#E18AB0
COLOR PALETTE