The Intersection of Design and Politics

The thought of politics is something that I truthfully hadn’t considered when majoring in graphic design, in fact I feel like I’m still learning about a lot of graphic design common knowledge everyday. Of course graphic design is political, and of course I have been subjected and will continuously be subjected to it. I think living is a political feat, especially if you’re in an environment that has differing opinions, if you are a minority, etc etc, you are forced to be involved politically, whether you want to be or not.

As far as graphic design, politics, and how I feel about the inevitable intersection between the two go, I think there is a comfortable discomfort that I face. As oxymoronic as that sounds, being involved in politics is a right and also a privilege. If I have a voice, I’m morally bound to use it to help others. I’m white, I’m straight passing, I’m cisgender, I have a lot of political power, and I will use it. It makes me feel uncertain in a large sense. I know there is a lot I am highly ignorant about, and a lot of work that I must do in order to have the proper tools to fight back against any, and all bullshit, but that is such an easy thing I should be doing. Thinking about graphic design in politics makes me excited to have another tool at my disposal, I never thought that I had the power, but that’s the other face of power right? It’s all illusions anyway.

Although illusionary, power in politics also makes me feel some discomfort. My political views are always in favor of the people, community, and uplifting and empowering all. I know a small fraction of what it’s like to be voiceless, the pain, the trauma it induces, and it’s weight is like a silent snowy mountain on your back. My position is that of which I can include myself if I want to, I have privilege and I can choose to feel included, or ignored. I can choose to be heard if I want to be heard. Doesn’t really matter if anyone is listening, I think the most important part is putting it out there in the first place. You can only be truly unheard in my position if you choose not to speak at all. Sure people can shut me out, ignore me, patronize my ideas, make me feel stupid, but ultimately if I have a hand on my power and my idea and my intension, then honestly it doesn’t matter. It’s not a goal of mine to feel included.

Movements of design that involve political messages that I find very fascinating include old Vietnamese and Russian propaganda posters. I thoroughly enjoy their use of illustration. The way they draw or paint these posters particularly because the characters are always bold, iconic, and memorable. The use of color by these nations really appeal to me because they are bright, and use a wide variety of highly saturated colors, to pastels which I find artistic and appealing to my eye. I think the symbolism of these posters is also a thing of beauty because they have so many layered messages that hold so much weight in so many areas. Politically, socially, economically, I mean the list goes on. There is beauty and ugly in so many differing opinions, in how they interact, or how they are react in conjunction to each other. The complexity of these posters and the timeframe in which they are created are so unique and such a historical treat, and clearly works of art it’s hard not to endlessly scroll through and find inspiration in them.