Mental Health and A Method of Processing: Four New Poster 2022 Entries

Our Poster Annual 2022 competition is almost over! We’ve saved some of the best entries for last; if you have a piece you like, don’t be shy and submit now.

Our first poster was created by designer Portuguese designer and Graphis Master João Machado. Owner of his own studio Machado has earned numerous awards for his work, including the National Design Award, the European Design Annual, and the Seiva Award. His work is also in exhibitions in international museums such as the Lincoln Center, Galeria Casa del Poeta, and the DDD Gallery.

Machado is known for his posters that address issues like human rights and the environment, and his poster “Reality and Mental Health” (above, left) does just that. It was created for the 4^th Block, a competition hosted by the Association of Graphic Designers, a public organization of designers and art managers. A man sits watching something on a screen, unaware of the net wrapped around his head. This works as an allegory for how we can get trapped by digital media, which can lead to mental health issues; taking a break from screens never hurts!

Sanja Planinic is a creative director from New York City. Originally from Bosnia, she graduated with a BFA in graphic design from the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo. Other than working as a designer, she is also the CEO and founder of Bosnia’s first design festival, SOS Design.

Her poster “Process” (above, right) was designed for the ALLSTARS exhibition, which was organized by the PCP Conference, a design conference in Serbia. Planinic’s piece is all black with a black grid in the background. The word ‘process’ is broken up and printed twice, both words sharing the same double s, and gray and black bubbles also distort the words. Everyone has a different way of doing things, and while that process may confuse others, it all leads to the same result!

If you’re running out of TV to watch, give Mrs. America a chance. This FX/Hulu mini-series, which premiered last year, tells the story of the Equal Rights Amendment and the political movements for and against it. FX Network worked with The Refinery, an award-winning advertising agency, to create a series of posters featuring the show’s actresses.

Since “Mrs. America” (above, left) is a political drama, FX Network and The Refinery used political posters from the ’60s and ’70s as inspiration, but with a groovy twist. Depending on whether a character is liberal and for the amendment, or conservative and against it, two different styles emerge. The liberal women have a bright color palette with psychedelic marbling and stretched letters. The conservative women are much more restrained, with blue backgrounds, curly gold lettering, and symbols such as the American flag and bald eagles. It’s a great way to depict who’s on which side and getting people invested in the show!

Love classical music? If you do, then did you know the 250^th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth just passed? It’s true! One of the most famous composers was born in 1770, and even centuries later his music is still listened to. To celebrate, Nigra 40, a group that promotes experimental and contemporary music, hosted a competition for celebratory posters.

Taber Calderon of Taber Calderon Graphic Design submitted “Beloved” (above, right) as his entry. An abstract portrait of Beethoven takes up the brown poster, painted in rough rainbow brushstrokes for, as Calderon calls it, “a colorful electric feel”, and also hinting at the different demographics who love his music. Beethoven’s name and the dates are printed in black and superimposed over ‘beloved’ in white, with the word an obvious play on Beethoven’s name while also pointing out how beloved the composer’s music still is.

The final deadline for submitting Poster Annual 2022 entries is TOMORROW, March 9th, so enter now. Don’t miss your chance!