Prografica Cultural Diversity Poster
I was recently honoured to be invited to contribute a poster design to Prografica’s exhibit Design/Culture: Posters for Cultural Diversity as part of the Icograda World Design Congress 2007 held in Havana, Cuba this past October. I’m not entirely sure what is says, but my bio sure looks sexy in Spanish!
The concept behind my poster design is an expression of personal individuality in light of cultural pluralism and an expression of concern for a loss of self, tradition and culture in a world moving toward homogeneity. Perhaps a bit cheesy, I used a self portrait muted by dark shadow set against a field of handwritten words describing numerous attributes of other cultures.
That isn’t a balloon I’m blowing up either, but rather a condom. Odd, I know, but it was supposed to suggest a personal celebration of individuality. I wonder how to say “blow up that condom” in Spanish? Who knows, but apparently “Ben” means “horseradish tree”. Awesome.
joy bergman contributed a comment on December 13th, 2007.
it baffles me as a designer that this poster would even be considered for inclusion in an international design competition. the overall composition alone is worthy of a high school effort at best. your own word “cheesy” is probably the most appropriate summary of what is presented here but i will give you the credit that an international poster designer deserves and challenge you with the following questions:
1) why would you ever consider using a photo of yourself in a design for an international poster about diversity? are we expected to relate to your image? are we, of the international audience, supposed to care about you: a self proclaimed Canadian of no doubt some privileged background (white, male) losing your identity in a “homogenous” society? to paraphrase US senator Lloyd Bentsen “you are no stefan sagmeister”. in the meantime, keep your own likeness out of your work.
2) without reading your description, the white oblong shape in front of your not quite silouhette/not quite fully realized image does not read as a condom. it reads as some white oblong shape. but in learning that it is a condom, it only suggests that you as the designer are ignorant of the epidemic severity of a lack of birth control in the more developing world. the message is as follows: a condom is to be blown up in jest in Canada. a condom can save millions of lives in africa.
3) you highlight yourself in this poster as a communication designer but your message on this international poster is one completely dependent on the small unreadable (at this size) writing in the background. so much writing. shouldn’t a communication designer be equipped with the skills to convey their message without words? your own comments about not understanding your spanish bio echo resolutely throughout this poster.
4) Concept: as a white male, you have had centuries in which to express your sense of “self, tradition and culture”. Only today, through literature and the democracy of the web are we finally hearing the voices of the victims, of the lower classes, of women, of repressed culturess. is not The Baghdad blogger’s opinion getting heard in spite of the bullshit on the Fox network? Can a small businessman in S.Africa not reach a global market with the story of his modest enterprise? Sure, Coca Cola is able to penetrate the farthest regions of the globe and we all want Nike sneakers, but the wall that was once corporate america is springing leaks in its once impenetrable dam and for once in history, everyone can have his/her say.
in short, I just really don’t get your point here.