When fear has no name, what shape does it take?

The ‘Abstract Fear’ workshop was designed to encourage participants to reflect on the concept of fear – challenging them not only to represent a specific one, but more importantly to empathize with it and develop a deeper understanding, even if it was not their own.
At the beginning of the assignment each participant randomly drew a slip of paper, each containing a different fear, and was then asked to depict it abstractly on a piece of cardboard. They later cut out their design to create a stencil. No text or figurative imagery was allowed – only shapes that could convey the essence of the fear. In the next step, participants applied their stencil onto a white T-shirt using blue spray paint. For the final phase, they were then asked to take a photo of themselves in a public space, wearing the T-shirt with the fear printed on the back.
The final step was particularly significant, as it required participants to publicly display a feeling that is deeply personal and often perceived as a vulnerability. Although the design on the back was abstract and therefore incomprehensible to others, it was still intended to carry an emotional weight recognisable to the creator.