Making News & Breaking News: Latest Entries in Protest Posters 2

The politics are blazing and the times are a-changin’. This week’s entries in our Protest Posters 2 competition are making news!

Starting off our news cycle is “Pandemic Politics,” (above, left) designed by Carmit Makler Haller from Carmit Design Studio in Belmont, California. For the past twenty years, Haller has been working as a lead graphic designer in consumer markets, high-tech startups, and luxury real estate. She has received prestigious awards worldwide from companies like Rockport Publishing as well as here at Graphis. She has been a member of AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) since 2007 and a mentor since 2020. Haller was commissioned by the 27th International Warsaw Poster Biennale to make this poster and used chess pieces to portray public affairs — specifically, politicians’ use of pandemic issues as a means of control and manipulation. Each piece has a role that relates to its role in the game as well: the king sits protected at the back of the board, waving a flag for egoism; the bishop, running long distance along the diagonals, conveys media and fake news; the knight is a master in confusion and doubt, and taking down pawns; the rook — a safe haven — stands for fear. Finally, the queen is deliberately blocked by all the other pieces, representing the silencing of women’s voices during this time.

Next up today is “News,” (above right) created for Poster for Tomorrow by Turkish designer Dogan Arslan. Arslan heads his own studio in Turkey and is known for his social commentary through cartoons. Poster for Tomorrow challenged designers to create a poster to convey the message of “Fake News,” and Arslan wanted to emphasize the problem of fake news through his design. Against a light blue background, a man holds what looks to be a regular microphone — until the viewer glances downward and realizes the bottom half is actually a large knife. Arslan placed his main focus on the contrast side of the subject; most news channels and organizations report the way they do in support of a specific ideology or political party instead of being objective. To him, news channels twist and manipulate the news according to their own agenda, and therefore neglect the peoples’ right and freedom to be informed. He wanted his design to go “behind the curtain” in order to show the “real side” of fake news.

Next is a self-commissioned project by Chris Corneal from design company Symbiotic Solutions in Dewitt, Michigan. Corneal is an associate professor of graphic design at Michigan State University. In addition to his professorial duties, he also serves as the faculty advisor for the Design Center and the director of graphic design internships. He received his BFA in graphic design from Western Kentucky University and his MFA in graphic design from the University of Memphis. Corneal’s work all shares a common theme: his belief in the “social relevance and social responsibility of graphic design.” For this submission, titled “Real Change” (above left), he takes his inspiration from the words of Supreme Court Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who unfortunately passed in 2020. Part of his Quote Series, Corneal honors Justice Ginsburg and her words through his expressive imagery and clearly communicated typography.

Rounding out this week’s entries is “The Times Are A’Changin’,” designed by Derwyn Goodall of Goodall Integrated Design in Toronto, Canada. GID is a full service strategic branding and design studio, and their areas of specialization include branding, corporate identity programs, print, packaging, environmental design, signage, wayfinding, and interactive experiences. Goodall has been the principal and creative director at GID for over six years, as well as an adjunct professor of graphic design for second and third year undergraduate core studios in typography and graphic design at OCAD University in Toronto. For this assignment, Goodall wanted to create a memorable poster image summarizing the many potential shifts in the current political and social climate. “We live in a moment of change brought upon by social divisiveness, political toxicity, and a global pandemic.” Goodall says. “We face the reality of change on so many levels, both good and bad.” He sought to highlight the urgency of the times with bold graphics and a timeless message, and with a bright green poster filled with dynamic typography, he’s definitely caught our attention! The poster generated a lot of positive feedback and recognition, as many people could resonate with it and feel the bond of common struggles.

Well, that’s our featured news for this week! We’ll be back next week with more fantastic designs. In the meantime, be sure to check out our main website for more entries in our Protest Posters 2 competition!