‘02 Seven Twenty-Four.

This birthday poster was created as a visual reflection on entering my 23rd year—an age that holds deep personal and cultural meaning. Growing up in Chicago, the number 23 has always been larger than life, forever tied to Michael Jordan’s legacy and the energy of the Bulls. For this piece, I photographed an authentic Jordan jersey and focused on transforming the iconic “23” into a symbolic representation of personal growth. I edited the numbers to appear as though they are physically peeling away from the jersey, morphing into lit birthday candles. I wanted this to feel like more than a clever visual trick—it’s about the moment of transition, when something old begins to shift and take on new meaning.

To emphasize that shift, I created a dramatic spotlight effect. The jersey is surrounded by a deep black background, allowing the light to fall only on what’s important. This contrast makes the jersey feel like it’s being preserved in memory, almost as if it’s hanging under a single light in a museum or locker room. The flames of the candles flicker with a warm glow, giving off tiny sparks that hint at celebration, but also at energy, motion, and transformation. I didn’t just want to design something that says “happy birthday”—I wanted to design a piece that captures the power of legacy and the weight of stepping into your next chapter.