Ryan Bridgforth ART399 Portfolio

Author/Artist Name

Ryan Bridgforth, Murray State UniversityFollow

Files

Academic Level at Time of Creation

Senior

Date of Creation

Fall 12-3-2025

Artist Statement

Inspired by the philosophies of design duo Dunne & Raby, my work bridges research, future thinking, and creativity through a process known as speculative design. Partially inspired by my own experience with chronic illness, as well as interest in human technology interaction through writers like Charlie Brooker, my recent work focuses on telling the story of neuromodulation, a technology that uses stimulation to alter nerve activity, typically to fight drug-resistent pain and chronic conditions. Product design, advertisements, and other future objects are used to envision a world where this technology is as prevalent as smart phones.

Though the topic is extrapolated, this technology could allow us to control our emotions and states of being in the future, bringing up new debates about the ethics of human inhibition and enhancement and our reliance on technology. Presenting this as a possible future through my work forces viewers to be confronted with new values and considerations about the future. For instance, the posters REHABILITATION, NOT MANIPULATION and Give Second Chances, Safely present a debate in which the government has proposed a law in which incarcerated individuals could receive neuromodulation treatment in exchange for reduced sentences.

The creative process behind these pieces is heavily inspired by the work of design-based research studio Extrapolation Factory, who scan for signals of possible futures and imagine them through design and happenings. I work in many mediums: graphic design, digital fabrication, sculpture, video, whichever communicates the topic best. Focusing on creating bold, contrasting designs that catch the eye, I mold imagery and typography into rhythmic compositions. Creating shared connections between my pieces through common imagery, as well as subtle details that imply bigger concepts, I reward close inspection. Ultimately, my goal is to consider what we are made of: not by providing all the answers, but by asking questions and bringing new debates to the table, sparking conversations to help navigate our future.

Advisor/Mentor

Gregory Scott Cook; Sarah Martin; Antje Gamble, PhD; Lu Colby

Description

This portfolio explores a variety of my artistic practice including graphic design, sculpture, digital fabrication, 3D printing, and silkscreen printmaking from 2023 to 2025. Through bold, dynamic forms and conceptually driven design, I create narratives around the impacts of technology, patterns of behavior, speculative futures, and personal connections that quietly shape our lives. Bold contrasts, rhythmic forms, and consistent symbols help him portray these ideas in work like Hector Eatery, Mitski Tour Poster, and Digital Footprint. While I primarily work as a designer, this portfolio showcases a variety of my skillsets, exemplifying my multifaceted approach to making. It also contains work from my most recent solo exhibition, Of Methods & Madness, including Always Working: A Contemplation of the 9–5, Memories, The Mouse Shuffle, The Average American, Slaughter of Chickens, and The Moments In-between. Each of these explore subtle, oft-overlooked parts of the human experience, be that through the confines of routines, forgotten memories, or established cultural traditions. Recently, I have been working in the field of speculative design, a critical approach to design that focuses on imagined future scenarios to provoke thought and discussion about society, ethics, and technology. This can be seen in my two CLEARPODS package designs, the diptych silkscreen printed posters Give Them Second Chances, Safely and REHABILITATION, NOT MANIPULATION, and the branding showcased in The Prevalent Museum Banners. Ultimately, my artistic goal is to consider what we are made of: not by providing all the answers, but by asking questions and bringing new debates to the table, sparking conversations to help navigate our future.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Bridgforth, Ryan, "Ryan Bridgforth ART399 Portfolio" (2025). Professional Practices (ART 399). 187.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art399/187