Mirrors and Mirages
Prize(s):
WINNER 2026 Print & Digital / Book and Magazine
School / University Name:Greenside Design Center
Lead Designer(s) Name(s):Michaela Amaro
Other Contributor(s):Bernice Puleng Mosala
Professor Name(s):Caitlin Paige, Carla Saunders
Photo Credit:Michaela Amaro
Project Location:Johannesburg, South Africa
Design Status:Prototype
Project Description:
Mirrors and Mirages is a collection of poetry written by Bernice Puleng Mosala surrounding events and details of her life. Her experience is shared through the story of the poetry, reflecting on her life and expressing her emotions through her words. "To find a true reflection of myself, I had to look past society’s distortions to see who God created me to be. These poems are a documentation of that process." The use of expressive long-exposure photography captures the internal conflict, movement, and transformation present in the poems, while the incorporation of Bernice’s own handwriting reinforces the deeply personal nature of the work. Interactive transparent pages invite moments of pause and reflection, encouraging readers to engage with the text on a contemplative level. Material choices, scale, and tactile qualities further support the journal-like intimacy of the book, positioning it as both a personal archive and a shared emotional experience. Collectively, these elements create a publication that validates the author’s story while offering readers space to reflect on their own identities and journeys.
Mirrors and Mirages is a collection of poetry written by Bernice Puleng Mosala surrounding events and details of her life. Her experience is shared through the story of the poetry, reflecting on her life and expressing her emotions through her words. "To find a true reflection of myself, I had to look past society’s distortions to see who God created me to be. These poems are a documentation of that process." The use of expressive long-exposure photography captures the internal conflict, movement, and transformation present in the poems, while the incorporation of Bernice’s own handwriting reinforces the deeply personal nature of the work. Interactive transparent pages invite moments of pause and reflection, encouraging readers to engage with the text on a contemplative level. Material choices, scale, and tactile qualities further support the journal-like intimacy of the book, positioning it as both a personal archive and a shared emotional experience. Collectively, these elements create a publication that validates the author’s story while offering readers space to reflect on their own identities and journeys.
Project Innovation / Specification:
Mirrors and Mirages is innovative in its deeply personal and collaborative approach to book design, where the author’s voice extends beyond text into the visual and material language of the publication. The integration of the poet’s own handwriting as expressive typography challenges conventional hierarchies between designer and author, positioning the book as a co-authored artifact. Long-exposure self-portrait photography is used not as illustration, but as emotional translation, visually embodying memory, inner conflict, and transformation. The inclusion of interactive transparent pages introduces a temporal, reflective reading experience, encouraging readers to slow down, engage physically with the book, and participate in the act of validation that underpins the poetry.
Mirrors and Mirages is innovative in its deeply personal and collaborative approach to book design, where the author’s voice extends beyond text into the visual and material language of the publication. The integration of the poet’s own handwriting as expressive typography challenges conventional hierarchies between designer and author, positioning the book as a co-authored artifact. Long-exposure self-portrait photography is used not as illustration, but as emotional translation, visually embodying memory, inner conflict, and transformation. The inclusion of interactive transparent pages introduces a temporal, reflective reading experience, encouraging readers to slow down, engage physically with the book, and participate in the act of validation that underpins the poetry.
Project Sustainability Approach:
Sustainability is considered through mindful material choices and production methods that prioritize longevity and emotional durability. The journal-like scale reduces material consumption, while the tactile, uncoated paper stock minimizes chemical processing and enhances the sensory experience without excessive finishes. By designing the publication as a keepsake rather than a disposable object, the project promotes sustainable engagement through reuse, reflection, and long-term value. The restrained use of materials, limited colour palette, and reliance on expressive content rather than embellishment further support a low-impact, considered design approach.
Sustainability is considered through mindful material choices and production methods that prioritize longevity and emotional durability. The journal-like scale reduces material consumption, while the tactile, uncoated paper stock minimizes chemical processing and enhances the sensory experience without excessive finishes. By designing the publication as a keepsake rather than a disposable object, the project promotes sustainable engagement through reuse, reflection, and long-term value. The restrained use of materials, limited colour palette, and reliance on expressive content rather than embellishment further support a low-impact, considered design approach.
Local and Regional Impacts of the Project:
The project is grounded in its local and regional context through its centering of Bernice Puleng Mosala’s lived experiences, identity, and spiritual journey. The themes explored in the poetry—identity politics, faith, memory, and self-definition—resonate strongly within South African and broader regional narratives, where personal and collective histories are deeply intertwined.
The project is grounded in its local and regional context through its centering of Bernice Puleng Mosala’s lived experiences, identity, and spiritual journey. The themes explored in the poetry—identity politics, faith, memory, and self-definition—resonate strongly within South African and broader regional narratives, where personal and collective histories are deeply intertwined.
