I CAN/T

Henceforth, I am unable to can.

“I want to be an artist!” — A graphic diary depicting the life of Clei through their highs and lows in pursuit of their passion.

I CAN/T offers a non-linear narrative structure to depict day-to-day recollections of life uncertainties, hardships and acceptance. This project stemmed from personal experiences and reflections of a young adult pursuing the creative world, highlighting a multitude of stories covering burnouts and bouts of impostor syndromes.

Discussing mental health can be a difficult topic to be open and honest about. It’s not a universal “one-for-all” approach for everyone. In the beginning, the thesis theme was to explore how certain mental illnesses are linked to famous artists, musicians and writers. A scientific research approach and how it alters the public’s perception on what it takes to be dub a genius.

Inspired by short stories from the internet about mental health, I CAN/T was created. In hopes of effectively communicating an individual’s thoughts and feelings, the project took on a form of a graphic diary. The reader follows the story of Clei Kin, an aspiring artist.

The journey doesn’t end here as there are still so much more encounters. Moving forward, hopefully this project sparks a conversation about personal mental health. Because we’re not alone and somewhere out there, someone are on the same boat as you.