Black & Green
How Music Inspired Two Movements in One Struggle
Exploring the power of music and design to give protest a voice.
Black & Green explores how music inspired and connected the Irish and American civil rights movements, and how design can amplify its message. The project brings together three longstanding interests of mine—music, design and politics—in an online exhibition concept that uses storytelling to make history feel immediate and human.
My approach combined research, interviews and hands-on visual experimentation. Conversations with contributors including Eamonn McCann, Anthony Burrill, Craig Oldham and Steven Heller helped shape my understanding of music, dissent and the importance of authenticity in design.
Charcoal became central to the visual language. Its rough marks, smudges and residue reflect the urgency and emotion of protest, while handwritten typography draws on the language of homemade placards and banners. Paired with more restrained digital typography, these elements balance the raw energy of resistance with space for reflection.
I designed and prototyped the exhibition around three thematic rooms exploring the struggle, the music and the design. Archival photography, footage, songs and interviews were brought together to create an experience where sound and image contribute to the narrative, inviting visitors to explore the connections between both movements.
Black & Green reflects my interest in design as a storytelling tool: a way to connect people with ideas, evoke emotion and give important stories a compelling visual voice.
