The Archive of Emotions¶
Through the better and worse...¶
The Archive of Emotions is not just a project, it’s a journey. A path of self-discovery, of love, of tears, of everything in between.
When I started this it was a call to understand myself a little better, to befriend my demons,
to make it just a bit easier to get out of bed in the morning.
And here we are.Better than I could’ve ever imagined. If you met younger Ola and told her this is what she would create...
She would’ve laughed. She wouldn’t believe you.
But here it is. Be proud. You deserve it!
Overview¶
Have you ever seen your emotions?
This project is an attempt to visualize emotion—to give form to what’s usually invisible.
Using parametric design and textile storytelling, The Archive of Emotions explores how deeply buried feelings influence our decisions, mental health, and the way we move through the world—often without us even realizing it.
It’s about finally addressing the elephant in the room.
The Archive of Emotions is a wearable art garment that translates internal states into physical forms.
It’s a visual map, a snapshot of our humanity if you will, showcasing the weight, heaviness, burden and lightness of each person’s unique emotional journey.
Methodology¶
Through the research process of this project, I found myself unexpectedly drawn to the methodological side of things.
I wanted to better understand where emotions originate in the body, how we experience them, and how they shape our physical presence—and honestly, it sucked me in completely.
There are so many dilemmas surrounding the philosophy of emotions.
That’s why I decided to go abstract with this project—not hold anything back.
I explored multiple methodologies to find ways of conveying emotions beyond words.
If you’d like to dive deeper into the theoretical framework, feel free to check my research notes.
I started to research the connection between waves in nature.
Everything is connected, right?
Physical cues of emotions on humans,
body language,
brain waves,
sound,
sound waves,
music,
and the effect of music on our brain waves...
It’s funny—when you look around and observe us as humans, we’re just a small fragment of a much bigger picture.
Everything circles back—like the flower of life, or the golden ratio.
We are part of nature...
and nature loves to play its little tricks on us.
To humble us, in a way.
Well now, after connecting the dots—I had a plan.
This project turned out to be a huge learning curve for me.
I kept an open mind throughout, constantly adjusting, iterating, and refining.
It was a cycle of problem-solving all day, every day for nearly three months.
And honestly? That’s what made it worth it.
Concept Breakdown and Design Development¶
To bring the concept to life, I used parametric design as my main tool—specifically through Rhinoceros, Grasshopper, and the Firefly plugin.
The goal was simple, yet ambitious:
To take something intangible—emotions—and translate it into visual form.
How can those visuals become physical entities that can be touched, worn, and woven into fabric?
It became a process of transforming emotion into structure, shape, and ultimately, textile.
A Three Layered Journey¶
The Heavy¶
The Light¶
The Naked¶
