Hannah Grajciar
As a Communication Designer, my practice explores identity, diaspora, language, and belonging through research-led and emotionally grounded design. Growing up in America within a family shaped by Scots Irish, and Polish migration histories made me aware of how identity is often inherited through fragments: memory, music, objects, storytelling, and place. My work investigates these layered inheritances and uses communication design as a way of uncovering hidden histories, creating cultural access points, and fostering connection across communities. Drawing from archival research, autoethnography, language learning, and material experimentation, I am interested in how design can create spaces of orientation and welcome for people navigating questions of culture, memory, and selfhood.
Ó Na Cruacha
The book developed explores Na Cruacha Gorma within Ulster’s storytelling tradition through the work of seanchaí Anna Nic An Luain (1884-1953). It highlights three songs from the hundereds Anna knew. It links between memory, the Irish language, and identity, showcasing the cultural significance of storytelling in preserving heritage and fostering a sense of belonging.Visual language in this publication was developed from site visits to various areas in Ulster, including Na Cruacha Gorma. The book’s bilingual format fosters belonging and a sense of welcome for those learning the Irish language. Language learning experiences require these welcoming conditions as much as technical skills. Consequently, the book evolved into a space where language, memory, and identity could reconnect.
