Bold Entries on Covid-19, War, and Peace Submitted to the Graphis Protest Posters 2 Competition!

For the Protest Posters 2 competition, we have a new entry titled “COVID-19” (above, left) from Marlena Buczek Smith. Smith is a New Jersey-based artist from Poland and has done multiple posters in social/political categories. She previously won Silver in the Poster Annual 2021. This time, she takes on a relevant topic such as Covid-19. Smith creates an image that displays two red masks arranged to form the shape of a heart. This poster is in support of health workers and urges others to stay safe and wear their masks.

Shown above-right is a piece by U.S Graphis Masters, Toshiaki Ide and Hisa Ide of IF Studio. Their work, “War or Peace,” portrays an image of a bomb on a black background. They were inspired by contemporary artist and creative director Magnus Gjoen and his conceptual artwork which was used on the bomb. The purpose of the poster is not to tell people what to think but rather to allow them to make their own interpretations from self-reflection.

Coming from the late Israeli designer, Dan Reisinger, the above-left poster “Mental Borders” creates an interesting visual with a bold statement ‘Mental Borders Create Wars.’ One could interpret this image as someone who is closed-minded, will only fear and regurgitate hate towards those they don’t understand or don’t agree with. This could lead to war. Dan Reisinger was a Graphis Master and had entered multiple posters such as this into the Protest Posters 2 Competition.

Lastly, another entry from Marlena Buczek Smith. Her above-right poster “Peace,” shows an image of a dead bird using puzzle pieces to play on the word ‘peace’. This work can be interpreted in different ways as well. She previously used the image in her Poster Annual 2019 entry, ‘Deleting in Progress.’ Perhaps this poster indicates even in the pursuit of peace, casualties of war will always be felt.

Posters are an effective tool to raise awareness on such issues as these and can say a lot in little to no words.

Send in your Social/Political posters to the Protest Posters 2!