Statement

by Samia Saleem

Degrees of Separation started as an online postcard magazine for designers living in, originating from, or belonging to the New Orleans, Louisiana area. However, after Hurricane Katrina, it was transformed into an outlet for us to share our experiences and reflections upon what had happened. Communicating the depth and magnitude of our stories has been trying, to say the least. For many of us it has been nearly impossible to express ourselves purely through words. Design, however, has given us a potent outlet by which we can begin to articulate the intricate nature of what has occurred in our lives due to the storm.

Degrees of Separation showcases the artwork of twenty-four designers and artists who have relocated, returned, or who simply wanted to participate because of the relevance of disaster to their lives. The project is about the intangible process of losing one’s home and being forced by circumstance to relocate and begin anew. Participants in the project who were displaced by Katrina moved to various cities across the country, including Portland, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Atlanta and Seattle. Only a few of us have returned home to New Orleans.

Degrees of Separation is a limited-edition postcard book with a print-run of 750 copies. There are thirty-three full-color, detachable postcards, and the book itself fits neatly into a customized sleeve featuring a typographic representation of the themes and concepts featured in the work. Also, a limited number of books will come with posters from New Orleans designers Nessim Higson (iamalwayshungry.com) and Erik Kiesewetter (the-k-is-black.com and editor of the New Orleans-based publication Constance). The book was relased on March 1, 2007 with five percent of profits going towards the AIGA New Orleans Design Educational Fund, while the remainder will go back into covering printing costs.

Visit degreesnola.com

Artwork shown in slideshow from: Jeff Pastorek, Melanie J. Carnsew, Tiffany Dantin, Erik Kiesewetter, Nessim Higson, Samia Saleem, Christopher Palazzo, Webstellung, Rob Chappell, and Desha Beamer.

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Degrees of Separation was founded by Samia Saleem (samiasaleem.com) in the summer of 2005, and the original deadline for submissions was set for August 29 2005, the day Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Samia was displaced from her home, and she began collecting these postcards after the storm and continues to do so. She was born and raised in New Orleans and currently resides in Seattle, making a living as an interactive designer.