Not One More

Designed and illustrated a book highlighting the history and struggles of women’s rights in Poland for my senior captstone project at UIC.

Designed and illustrated a book highlighting the history and struggles of women’s rights in Poland for my senior captstone project at UIC.

Designed and illustrated a book highlighting the history and struggles of women’s rights in Poland for my senior captstone project at UIC.

About the project

As a Polish designer, I used illustration to powerfully illuminate the personal experience of a young woman who endured harassment and trauma during an abortion in Poland. The project confronts the persistent repression of reproductive rights in the country, reflecting the harsh reality that since the 2016 “Czarny Protest,” abortion rights remain severely restricted—resulting in tragic loss of life and widespread trauma

As a Polish designer, I used illustration to powerfully illuminate the personal experience of a young woman who endured harassment and trauma during an abortion in Poland. The project confronts the persistent repression of reproductive rights in the country, reflecting the harsh reality that since the 2016 “Czarny Protest,” abortion rights remain severely restricted—resulting in tragic loss of life and widespread trauma

As a Polish designer, I used illustration to powerfully illuminate the personal experience of a young woman who endured harassment and trauma during an abortion in Poland. The project confronts the persistent repression of reproductive rights in the country, reflecting the harsh reality that since the 2016 “Czarny Protest,” abortion rights remain severely restricted—resulting in tragic loss of life and widespread trauma

Date

May 4, 2024

Client:

UIC

Services:

Illustration

Not One More

Women in Poland are on strike because their nation feels entitled to discuss—and worse, mandate—their sanity and uteri. Poland has been debating the word ‘abortion’ since 2016 when the first all-Polish women strike, ‘Czarny Protest,’ took place. Even though many innocent women have lost their lives because they were denied medical help, abortion rights continue to be strictly governed in Poland. As a female Polish designer, I am driven to raise awareness of the plight of Polish women on this front. Not One More makes use of illustration to tell the personal story of a young Polish woman who experienced the harassment and trauma of undergoing an abortion in Poland. The style is influenced by old school Polish poster design and adopts the color palette used in the ‘Czarny Protest.’ My intention is to expand Not One More to include stories of other women who have survived what can only be termed a dehumanizing experience, as well as stories of women who did not survive.

Process

I began this project with extensive research, not only on the Czarny Protest and the broader history of women’s rights in Poland, but also by reading personal accounts and interviewing women who had endured the trauma of seeking an abortion under restrictive laws.

The concept of an illustrated book came from recognizing how little visibility these women’s stories receive, and how some can no longer share them at all. I chose to frame the book as if the reader were holding one of these women’s private diaries—an intimate, personal perspective meant to evoke the same sense of intrusion that the government imposed on their lives. My goal was for the viewer to feel the emotional weight of their experiences in a deeply personal way.

The visual direction drew directly from the Czarny Protest itself, using a strict palette of black, red, and their tonal variations to maintain impact and cohesion. The illustration style was inspired by mid-20th-century Polish poster design, known for its bold, graphic storytelling, which I adapted to amplify the urgency and gravity of the subject matter.

Awards

This project received two awards at the YES! Show 2024 at UIC School of Design.


  • Best in Social Impact

  • Best in Visual Narrative

View the live project on the official YES! website here.