Artist Statement
My Posters depict Propaganda for “War on the Virus” during the current Covid -19 Global Pandemic. Each Poster contains strong graphic images to emphasise the severity of the crisis, together with an allegoric narrative to deliver a broader message for the audience to reflect upon during the unprecedented challenges that the World faces in 2020.
The objective of each Poster is to deliver a warning of the serious consequences of our actions during the crisis and to persuade how to prevent the spread of the “Corona” disease through encouraging people to change their way of life under lockdown.
Each poster was created using a variety of mixed media.
For the “Skull Poster”, I produced a still-life painting using 3 ‘Found Objects’, a Skull, a Mask and a Corona Beer Bottle. I then used a mixed media approach using collage and digital manipulation techniques. Finally I added an assertively worded Slogan having a double-edged meaning.
The Skull is wearing a Mask to represent a macabre reminder of mortality, rather than portraying certain death.
The Poster invites the audience to ‘cover -up’ and wear a mask as a prescriptive instruction.
The “Careless Whispers” Poster portrays a reflection of the constantly changing breaking news reports through a distortion of the truth, through the continuous mixed messages from Social media sources. This led to on-going confusion in the World Population.
Finally, the “Be aWARe” Poster, depicts a “War” in its message. The Front Line Soldiers are key workers in Hazard Suits bearing arms loaded with disinfectant rather than bullets. My inspiration for the work was the World War 2 Artist, Abram Gaines, whose powerful graphic images leave a lasting impression. I have attempted to add a Contemporary feel inspired by Graphic Designer, Peter Saville’s iconic vibrant Industrial hazard symbols and signage.
University of Bolton Fine Art 