What We Carry Zine
What We Carry is a zine that explores how small, personal objects hold emotional weight and memory, and how items specific to one person can still evoke recognition in others. A written poem evolved into a tactile, visual narrative centered on an embroidered pouch, and the objects it contains, each representing identity, loss, culture, and connection.
5.5 x 8.5 inches
The layout is intentionally intimate and sequential, using clean, minimal text blocks to contrast with detailed embroidered patterns, allowing each object to feel both significant and contemplative. The use of repetition, spacing, and negative space mirrors the rhythm of the poem. The tension between individuality and shared experiences invites people to reflect on their own objects, revealing how personal artifacts can carry connections across different lives and stories.
DESIGN PROCESS
The objective of this project was to create a zine, a small, self-published publication often used as a personal and expressive medium to share ideas, stories, or concepts in an intimate and experimental format.
I began by selecting an item of personal value: an embroidered pouch where I keep small objects that carry memories. Then, I developed an ode that reflects the emotional significance of the pouch and its contents, followed by a semiotic diagram to break down and better understand the symbolic meaning behind each item. The design of the zine builds directly from this concept, with the cover referencing the texture and pattern of the pouch itself, visually suggesting that the contents of the zine are being held and protected within it.
Objects inside the pouch: a necklace gifted by my father from South Africa, old coins I found while exploring the beaches in Rio de Janeiro from the discontinued Brazilian currency, Cruzeiros, and two rings mailed to me by my uncle before he passed away. These items serve as anchors for the narrative, each carrying its own story while contributing to a larger theme of memory and attachment.
The project also explores broader questions about value and perception: how small, everyday objects gain meaning over time, how others connect to items that are deeply personal to someone else, and how a single object can hold different significance depending on perspective. Through this collection of stories, the zine invites readers to reflect on their own relationships with personal objects and the memories they carry.