An investigation into design, space and emotion from Evan Grothjan

Date
29 July 2015

You know what we’re like, always going all gaga over pretty colours and GIFS like little typing magpies. But we’re not all about a pretty picture over here at It’s Nice That; and neither is designer Evan Grothjan. While we admit we were initially drawn in by his vivid tones and abstract compositions, it turns out there’s a lot more to his Spaces series than crowd-pleasing aesthetics. Instead, the images form an ongoing investigation into the relationship between space and emotion; something Evan’s been interested in since studying animation as part of his Rhode Island School of Design course.

“This 3D mode of thinking made me more aware of the environment around me, and more specifically the idea of space and the emotional qualities present in space,” he explains. “It sounds silly, but I began to ask the question about when is a place no longer a place, but a space…something that is more intimate and has a direct effect on the person experiencing it. Maybe a bit romanticised.”

Evan’s later studies in architecture uncovered some facts about houses in Victorian England, where rooms were sometimes “specifically calibrated for a certain gender, mood, and function.” Evan says: “This all helped me think of space in great new and interesting ways…I wanted to see if I could define my own spaces. I haven’t been able to stop, and it’s an ongoing series of moods.”

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Ethan Grothjan: Serious Spaces

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Ethan Grothjan: Meditative Spaces

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Ethan Grothjan: Meditative Spaces

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Ethan Grothjan: Fun Spaces

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Ethan Grothjan: Fun Spaces

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Ethan Grothjan: Fun Spaces

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About the Author

Emily Gosling

Emily joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in the summer of 2014 after four years at Design Week. She is particularly interested in graphic design, branding and music. After working It's Nice That as both Online Editor and Deputy Editor, Emily left the company in 2016.

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