Final Part 2

This cover of Esquire is known as one of the best magazine covers of all time, and I believe that is because it is interesting to look at without knowing the background or reference it is making, but when you do know the reference it is extremely interesting. The cover is referencing the stort of Saint Sebastien. The painting below by Andrea Mantegna is one of the most famous images of the saint. 

Sebastien is the patron saint of athletes, among other things, who was shot with arrows for his beliefs. The cover is comparing Ali to this saint who never gave up on his beliefs, although he was seriously persecuted for it. When you know the story behind the image it is extremely powerful. A similar example for today's society is the following cover of Rolling Stone: 

This is an obvious comparison of Kanye West to the most recognized image in the world, Jesus with the crown of thorns. Both of these covers show these contemporary icons with a reference to past icons. It is more than just looking like the person, it has to do with the beliefs that the person has, not necessarily religious, but the amount of passion these people have for what they do is enough that people may compare it to a religious figure. I believe the Esquire cover is less recognizable and not as easy to connect the story to the image, because I would not have instantly known that it was referencing Saint Sebastien, however in the case of the Kanye cover it is an instant read that it is referencing Jesus, also the text that says the passion of Kanye West makes it clear that they are not calling Kanye a religious figure, just that he is extremely passionate. Although the text does help the understanding, it makes the image not as powerful. The starkness of the Esquire cover makes it stand out. They are both extremely interesting and make strong statements about current icons and their beliefs. 

This image from 2008 of Sarah Palin uses images to make fun of her statement "They're our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska." Which was more famously spoofed on SNL with the statement, "I can see Russia from my house!" This image makes fun of her intelligence, or perceived lack thereof. I believe that although this image is summarizing that whole thing, the more powerful image that comes to mind when I think of Sarah Palin is Tina Fey's impersonation of her, and I think that although it is not a image in the traditional sense, it is more comparable to the point made in the Nixon portrait, questioning the candidate's norms. In the Nixon Portrait it is saying he is concerned about image, but Fey's impersonation of Palin really pokes fun at Palin's intelligence, and makes her seem really really dumb. Both that and the cover question her reliability as a candidate. 

Lester Beall posters

I tried to make my posters as simple as possible, in keeping with Lester Beall's aesthetic. I loved the integration shown on his posters where the photography and bold graphic elements intertwine, and I wanted to bring that relationship to my posters. I made two just because I thought it would be interesting to make it look like somewhat of a series. I kept the colors simple at just red white and blue, but I really wanted to get across the point that it was all about america and keeping together as one united country to help our neighbors. 

Also, I posted it on my personal tumblr.