LILLIAN GERHART
REACH FOR THE SCARS
Reach for the Scars is a metaphorical portrait showcasing the physical and mental toll of overworking, especially under the pressures college students face. This project contrasts the messy reality of hard work, with the idealized image of effortless success. Through the symbolism of a bandaged hand before its reflection and a poster of a “perfect” hand above, it shows how we measure ourselves against unrealistic standards, even when we’ve given our all. It reminds us that true success is not always linear.
THE PROCESS
For this project, I built a miniature dorm room diorama to physically ground my concept in a believable space. I started with a large cardboard box as the base and painted the interior walls a dull white with a slight yellow tint to resemble a worn, lived-in dorm. From there, I collected and bought tiny items to make the environment feel really lived-in. I arranged all the miniature pieces to make the dorm feel realistic and a little messy, just like a real college room.
I added things like scattered papers, pencils, and small posters to make it look lived-in and personal. Once everything was in place, I played around with lighting and camera angles until the hand felt like it truly belonged in the space. Even though the set was small, every little detail helped make the final photo feel full of life and emotion.
POSTER DEVELOPMENT
I experimented with a variety of poster designs to explore different interpretations of what “success” can look like for a college student. Whether it’s wealth, winning an art contest, or simply graduating.
Each variation reflected a different ideal and the pressures that come with it. These experiments ultimately helped me define the final poster above the mirror.
