Awareness, Empowerment, and Taking a Stand: Protest Poster 2 New Entries

Spreading awareness allows for education, and sharing the different sides of scenarios and problems allows for others to join in on the conversation. That’s what’s so special about protest posters; they share an individual’s POV for others to learn about it. This week, we’re focusing on three big subjects: saving the environment, ending racism, and addressing the negative effects of COVID-19. These entries for our Protest Posters 2 competition will be competing for Platinum, Gold, and Silver awards. 

American designer Carmit Makler Haller worked with photographer George Mayera and digital artist Mario Om to create “Self Sustained Evolution” (above, left). The main inspiration: scientists believe that viruses are here to challenge and encourage our evolution. The coronavirus pandemic sparked the question, “What if the pendulum is still swinging, and there is more to come? Perhaps this is only the beginning of the most extreme state of viruses and pollution, where we cannot rely on our current ecosystem anymore.” This self-initiated poster proposes a new equilibrium of self-sustained evolution, where humanity has become dependent only on our own system. This poster suggests that we filter pollution and viruses by digesting our own food.

“Plastic Never Dies” (above, right) was developed by Mark Hess of Hess Design Works to share how people see plastic trash in our oceans. Hess decided to juxtapose a beautiful portrait of jellyfish with the garbage they have to swim around within our highly polluted oceans. The goal is to hopefully share how detrimental having trash in our oceans is for wildlife. 

Switching subjects, the concept of racism has been around for ages across the world. The need to discriminate against others is hateful, and many try to advocate against it. That’s the goal of “Racism” (above, left), created by Bülent Erkmen for the Masterpieces Exhibition at the Ljubljana Poster Festival in Slovenia. The basic black/white poster speaks volumes while maintaining a minimalistic vibe. 

Finally, everyone has struggled with the COVID-19 pandemic over the past year and a half, and it has drastically altered society and how we interact with others in a public setting. Jack Harris designed “The COVID Classroom” (above, right) to demonstrate what it’s like for students in a school setting during the pandemic. The need for collaboration between students and instructors is more important than ever yet much more difficult, and the problem has become worse the longer students work remotely. As fewer students are willing to participate, it encourages others to neither appear nor contribute verbally. The problem (and a potential solution) presented themselves intuitively. After some basic development, the final poster was executed, showcasing Harris’ frustration with the lack of students’ “presence”. To date, the primary response has been acknowledged by Instagram followers and fellow educators who share similar perspectives.

Feeling empowered to take a stand? If you’ve created a significant piece, be sure to enter our Protest Posters 2 competition by July 13, 2021.