Natalie Tate

About
Class of 2021
Art + Design

Statement
Untitled Thesis

This is the placeholder name I gave this project while working on it, but now I can’t imagine it with a different name. Untitled Thesis is a continuously growing collection of illustrated short horror stories; including one-sentence stories, poems, short stories, fiction and nonfiction, and more. I first found inspiration in poetry books, which have become increasingly popular over the last several years, Rupi Kaur being a notable creator in this area. I realized that there’s an abundance of uplifting, soul-searching, or inspirational poetry out there, but the same treatment has not been given to horror works. I wanted to explore how one might illustrate something creepy or unsettling, within the mainstream parameters or similar publications. The often-stereotyped genre of horror is usually seen as gritty, dark, dirty, or chaotic, but here, it is presented as minimal, clean, and symbolic.

There are two, primary formats for Untitled Thesis: a physical book in the future, and an ongoing social media page. The goal of social media within this project is to go past the boundaries of simply creating illustrations, and create a community. I want this project to become a place where previously silenced voices in the genre can now be heard, to highlight authors who are trying to break in to a male-dominated field, and show the world something new. All current contributors are women and/or LGBTQ+, and I am hoping to reach many more people who have unique stories to tell. I am incredibly excited to keep pushing forward with Untitled Thesis, and see the community evolve into something truly special.