Essay (global design)

ESSAY

It starts with audacity. That certain willing-ness to put it all out there ill regardless of what the ramifications might be. Honesty and integrity are also something to value. However they runs risk of being as pegged and just being asshole-ish. At the same time brazen audacity runs close to being misinterpreted and “shock”. But if this cocktail is organized in such a way where no misinterpretations can be made  – no misunderstandings can be ascertained – and combined the public education (another item to value), the results can be truly uplifting.

“I Love My Boo” is a campaign launched by the GMHC (Gays Mens Health Center) in 2010. This was my breakthrough. This was that spark. Suddenly all the pieces begin to move into place.The posters themselves are ripe with: honor, honesy, commitment, affection, integrity, public education and a certain brazen audacity.

But this is not enough – As a reference / historical poster it was too recent. Now, its time to work backwards -- to seek out inspiration with similar values, but prevalent during a time when I was not yet alive.

Sticking within the same realm as the “I Love…” campaign I managed to stumbled across a posters from the an Los Angeles County AIDS awareness campaign launched in 1984 -  ‘Don’t Forget Your Rubbers’

The poster is using public service in the form of education to bring awareness to AIDS – which during the 80’s was a health crisis especially for gay men. At the same time it utilizes a certain audacity – the willingness to lay it all out there. The campaign is honest and at the same time uses humor as well the celebrity status of Zelda Rubenstien best know for her role in the Poltergeist films, but also well known in most circles as an out spoken supporter of gay rights.

My task will be to draw upon some of the values found in the posters (public service, education, humor etc.) – combined with what I value (brazen audacity, honesty) to create a poster (within the realm of public service or education) dealing with the issue of suicide in America or amongst gay teens, which is disproportionately higher than other teens.

Suicide amongst gay youth has gained some attention recently due to the issues

Surrounding bullying. But at the same time suicide in American in general still remains relatively high.

The question then becomes: “Why suicide?” In my life’s journey I’ve had two ex boyfriends whom both been suicidal. One even went as for as to slit his wrists with a razor blade. Call it “the hero complex” but I have a certain need to help those troubled by this affliction – this mindset, not because I want to but because I have to.