Melissa Vivas

Constrained, 2026

Constrained is an installation that uses foam board and stretched string to explore the expression of anxiety through experimental typography. The work centers on the word “breathe,” which appears as negative space, emerging from a dense field of tightly pulled strings. This project advances my creative practice by combining sculptural installation with typographic design, while also engaging with broader research on mental health, emotional expression, and the psychological impact of language.

The piece is constructed by layering string across a foam board surface, using tension, direction, and density to create visual pressure. The string acts as both structure and metaphor representing how thoughts, emotions, and experiences become tangled during moments of anxiety. Inspired by the work of Dominique Falla and her use of color and experimental typography, I explore how material and form can communicate feeling beyond words.

This work is rooted in personal experience. I chose the word “breathe” because it is a grounding reminder I return to during moments of anxiety. By physically embedding this word within tension, the piece reflects the struggle between overwhelm and control, as well as themes of identity, fear of failure, and perfectionism.

Through this installation, I hope viewers will pause, reflect, and reconnect with themselves recognizing the importance of mental health and the quiet power of language. I invite you to take a moment to breathe and try this exercise: close your eyes, inhale for 3 seconds, hold for 4, and release for 6 seconds. Then, gently bring your attention to a place where you feel calm and at ease a reminder that you can return to that sense of grounding.

About the Artist

My creative practice focuses on graphic design and photography as tools for emotional expression. I am especially interested in experimental typography and how text can move beyond communication to embody feeling. Through my work, I explore how visual form composition, spacing, and material can reflect internal experiences that are often difficult to put into words.

A central theme in my practice is anxiety. I use distortion, repetition, and tension within typography to translate emotional states into visual language. By pushing type beyond its traditional function, I aim to create work that feels immersive and personal, allowing viewers to connect not just with what is being said, but how it feels.

Through both digital and physical processes, I continue to experiment with ways design and photography can capture vulnerability, identity, and the complexity of human emotion. My goal is to create work that encourages reflection and opens space for conversations around mental health.