Self in Progress

Distorted clock surrounded by darkness and eyeballs

Statue of a woman in a museum with black tentacle-like forms in the foreground

Woman standing on a platform surrounded by darkness and eyeballs watching her

Woman holding hands with a woman figure who seems to be made of a black, shiny substance

A woman sitting cross-legged inside of a statue in the desert

Kayla Lehman, MFA Design, 2023

Thesis Title: Self in Progress: Designing an Animated Mental Health Narrative Inspired by the Principles and Aesthetics of Surrealism

Film Title: Self in Progress

Self in Progress is an animated short film project that investigates how the aesthetics of Surrealism and Surrealist animation can be used as inspiration for visualizing a multimedia animated film centered around a woman’s journey with anxiety and mental illness. The film illustrates the protagonist’s experience with anxiety and her journey to a healthier mental state through acceptance and self-compassion. Surrealism was an art movement with a focus on dreams and the mind, which makes the art movement a great source of inspiration for visualizing the mental and emotional experiences in this animated mental health narrative. The film explores the relationship between aesthetics, narrative, and theme and how these elements combine and strengthen one another.