The Lemon Tree is a conceptual poster and short story developed in tandem, exploring inheritance, memory, and resistance through a shared symbolic language. The project centers on the tension between imposed identity and self-definition, using the marigold and the lemon as opposing yet intertwined metaphors. While the story unfolds through intimate narration and sensory detail, the poster distills its emotional core into a single image, one that speaks quietly, but refuses to soften its truth.
Visually, the composition balances softness and tension through controlled hierarchy, negative space, and material sensitivity. The floral form provides familiarity and ritual, while the exposed citrus flesh introduces angularity, pressure, and agency, its structure subtly echoing the presence of hands and labor embedded in the narrative. A muted, earthy color palette and minimal typographic treatment allow the image to age quietly, prioritizing symbolism over trend. Together, the poster and story function as parallel expressions of the same idea: that some memories are not meant to be reconciled, only acknowledged.
The design process began with the character’s name: Marigold, given as a projection of delicacy and obedience, and Goldie, a self-chosen identity shaped by resistance. This tension informed the central visual gesture: sharp, sour lemon segments forcing their way out of a marigold form they have been constrained within. Rather than illustrating a scene from the story, the poster captures its ethical position: the refusal to sweeten what was endured, and the decision to let bitterness remain honest. Subtle typographic integration and restrained contrast choices were used to preserve ambiguity while ensuring physical presence in print.