This week’s featured Protest Posters 2 entries reflects on what both the US and the rest of the world has gone through within the past few years, ranging from Trump’s presidency and COVID-19 to the increasing threat of climate change.
The first entry “Screamer” is a self-initiated project by London-based designer Andrew Sloan (above, left). His goal was to produce an arresting and recognizable image to convey concerns about climate change and potential solutions. The idea for using an exclamation point came after reading an article in The Guardian Newspaper which referred to research by the International Energy Agency (IEA); the article highlights the potential of offshore windfarm energy to satisfy the world’s supply of electricity. After reading this article, Sloan felt that the exclamation mark was a perfect graphic form to demand attention and convey the urgency of climate change. For him, it was logical to convert the full stop into the planet itself and use black and yellow as warning colors. Thanks to his hard work, the poster received positive feedback and will become part of a series of climate-based posters.
The next submission, titled “America: 2016 – 2020“, is also a self-initiated project by US-based designer Douglas May that focuses specifically on the USA (above, right). The poster shows the American flag sinking while also displaying the years of the presidential term of Donald J. Trump. It dares viewers to ask the question, “How will the United States recover from the political damage and reemerge as a respected world power?” According to May, “There are strong associations with national symbols. We have seen flags burn, but this image tells a slower demise that is still in progress. The image is intended to provoke dialogue among voters while leading up to the 2020 presidential election.”
