Incomprehensible

BOOK

Fall 2024, 6 WEEKS

INDESIGN
PHOTOSHOP

66th Communication Arts Design Winner

I created a booklet containing texts from the podcast episode "Wrinkle Reducers" by Dr. Michael Greger and the song "Incomprehensible" by Big Thief, designed to resemble a medical file folder.

The narrative follows the fictional Bethany Gatlin as she navigates societal pressures that insist women must not age. Over three segments, readers witness her gradual descent into these expectations. Short vellum pages interspersed throughout the booklet become increasingly wrinkled, culminating in a final, jarring page where the "skin" is suddenly smooth—an unsettling resolution that underscores the cost of these pressures.

The cover features a patient identification slip paired with a series of six before-and-after photos of a facelift procedure.

The book is divided into three sections. Each begins with short yellow sheets styled as medical documents, serving as thematic markers: a check-in form, a consent contract, and post-operative instructions.

The text on the pages becomes progressively more wrinkly as Bethany ages. This visual metamorphosis not only reflects the passage of time but also intensifies as the decision to undergo beauty procedures looms over her.

In the final chapter of the book, there is an uncanny sterility that contrasts the personal nature of the first two segments. The pages mimic hospital forms. The narrative culminates with Dr. Michael Greger, the host of the featured podcast, providing a sign-off, lending a formal closure to Bethany's journey.

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