Beneath the surface

By Margrethe Pedersen

Chronic pain is a type of pain that lasts six weeks or more. According to Folkehelseinstituttet, 3 of 10 adults in Norway report that they are currently living with chronic pain. Despite this high number there is very little understanding about what living with chronic pain entails, and they often get comments that they do not appear to be «sick.» Beneath the surface ask: how can visualization help in giving a better understanding of what chronic pain is?

An experiment in how to document pain using golden foil as a printing technique. To see the pain you have to interact with the paper and hold it an angle towards the light.

With the use of thermocromic ink I created screen printed illustrations that can be revealed by touching the picture. The ink reacts to body heat and reveleas the illustration underneath.

Margrethe Pedersen (NO)

Margrethe Pedersen is a graphic designer and illustrator, with a passion for riso, cats and printmaking. Originally from Narvik in Northern Norway, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Visual Communication from Bergen Academy of Art and Design in 2015 and has stayed here since. As a former designer for the rock club Hulen, she made gig posters for bands performing at the venue. She enjoys experimenting with different types of materials, printing techniques, and integrating user experiences through her work. In 2018, her zine about the Mars Rover Curiosity, was part of the Life at the Edge-exhibition at the Science Gallery in Dublin.