MAYA K.
LIN
M FA APPLICANT
CONTACT &
PORTFOLIO
Email:
maya.lin@design.io
Portfolio:
mayalin.design
Location:
Brooklyn, NY
DESIGN
DISCIPLINES
SOFT WARE &
TOOLS
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Graphic Design
01
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY & CATALYST
Graphic design is rarely neutral; it actively constructs culture,
influences behavior, and dictates visual access. My entry into
design began not with commercial aestheticism, but with a
fascination for typography as a socio-political voice. Graduating
with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communication Design from Rhode
Island School of Design (RISD), I focused on how dynamic
typography and variable visual systems can demystify complex
public datasets. I view the designer not merely as a service
provider for corporate messaging, but as an author, researcher,
and visual curator capable of shaping public discourse.
02
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE & SYSTEMS
EXPLORATION
Over the past three years as a Senior Brand Designer at Studio
Aperture in New York, I have led cross-functional teams in
developing adaptive design systems for cultural institutions, digital
archives, and editorial publishers. My work involved creating
generative brand identities that alter dynamically based on user
engagement metrics and environmental data feeds.
Core Research Focus:
Investigating the convergence of
variable typography, generative algorithms, and speculative
editorial design to challenge traditional hierarchies in physical
and digital publishing.
My independent practice has run parallel to my commercial studio
experience. In 2025, I self-published
Aesthetic Code
, an
experimental risograph-printed journal exploring algorithmic bias in
digital image curation. Exhibiting this project at the NY Art Book
Fair reinforced my desire to step away from traditional brand
marketing and fully immerse myself in critical design research.
03
GRADUATE RESEARCH INTENT &
INSTITUTIONAL FIT
The MFA in Graphic Design at your institution represents the ideal
incubator for my proposed thesis project: investigating how
generative code and variable typography can preserve endangered
linguistic scripts in interactive physical spaces. I am particularly
eager to study under the faculty at the Center for Experimental
Media, whose pioneering work in physical computing and
speculative typography aligns directly with my artistic trajectory.
Speculative Visual
Systems
■
Typography & Editorial
■
Experimental Motion
■
Interactive Installation
■
Brand Identity
Architecture
■
Adobe Creative Cloud
■
Figma & UI Prototyping
■
Glyphs (Type Design)
■
Processing & p5.js
■
Blender 3D Modeling
■
MFA Graphic Design Statement of Purpose
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