In Breaking Binaries: An Exploration Through Interactive Art, Diya Karthik uses storytelling, fashion design, and stop motion animation to challenge the rigid labels society places on identity, morality, and belonging.

Drawing from philosophical research on child development and moral reasoning, Karthik’s children’s book flips the traditional hero-villain narrative, inviting young readers to engage critically with ideas of good and evil. Through fashion sketches and gender-neutral designs, she disrupts the masculine-feminine binary, encouraging self-expression beyond societal expectations. Her animation piece critiques cancel culture’s tendency to flatten human complexity into “good” and “bad” labels. Combining academic rigor with artistic imagination, Karthik’s project builds an immersive experience that pushes viewers to question simplified narratives—and to see uncertainty not as weakness, but as an opportunity for growth.

Photo: Art by Diya Karthik