Poster Design by Nicholas Burroughs

The New BLK Gallery + Power to the Poster + Nicholas Burroughs proudly present…

POWER TO THE POSTER: THE EXHIBITION

34 POSTERS PROMOTING DISSENT, HOPE & IDEAS

An exhibition of posters selected from PowerToThePoster.org. The site exists to bring people together around a ready supply of well-designed, wild postings that comment on the issues of our time. The 11×17 posters in PDF format are for anyone, anywhere to download, print and post. The exhibition will showcase some of most compelling posters from 25 designers in 11 states and 8 countries.

Opens Thursday, September 9
6-9 PM
New BLK Gallery
1213 Jones St.
Omaha, NE
As part of Omaha Creative Week
After party at Havana Garage
1008 Howard St.

The large format 24×38 inch posters, generously printed by Photographics Imaging, will be available for purchase through September 24. Proceeds will go to Design Alliance OMAha, a group working to bring leading-edge design ideas that are shaping our world to the community.

Maya Lin’s Green Memorial. What Is Missing? focuses on extinct and vanishing species, and incorporates sculpture, video, sound, hand-held electronics, printed material and an interactive website. More at Maya Lin’s Studio.

I recently completed a design project with Share Our Strength for their No Kid Hungry Pledge. A great group of people and an extremely important effort:

I want this sticker to give people a way to show their individual support and get them excited about an America that is ending childhood hunger by 2015. We need a sustained effort. We need commitments made each and every day by all of us who have enthusiastically signed up, and that’s what I wanted to show with the repeating “I pledge” of the background. It’s like those sentences we used to have to write on the chalkboard in school when we did something bad. But this time, we’re doing something good. We’re pledging a better future. Over and over and over until it becomes reality.

You can still get the sticker by taking the pledge and making a small donation to the campaign. Please do, and put it in a high traffic area. Let it serve as a reminder that we all need to do our part to make NO KID HUNGRY a reality.

Read the full post. Make a donation. Spread the word, NO KID HUNGRY.

Longevity.
Maintainability & Transparency.
Evolvability & Scalability.

Go slow, expect restarts, and expect bad weather. From the Long Now Foundation, established to creatively foster long-term thinking and responsibility in the framework of the next 10,000 years.

In October 2009, the Designers Accord convened over 100 progressive individuals from academic and professional institutions all over the world for two days of highly participatory discussion, planning and action around the topic of design education and sustainability. The main activity was small-group brainstorming focused on answering these questions:

via Core77.

@ MoMA

Katie and I made a trip to New York City recently. Paola Antonelli, curator at MoMA, spoke in Omaha last fall on design and our world. One of the things covered was her recent acquisition of the “at” symbol. We like to say that’s why we went. To see this: @.

@ Natural History Museum

@ The Guggenheim

@ Ellis Island

@ Empire State Building

@ Ground Zero

Such an amazing city. The buildings, the art, the design, the history, the hustle and the bustle. The food, the people, the culture and the hugeness. Yeah, we had a good time.

Shareable is a nonprofit online magazine that tells the story of sharing. We cover the people, places, and projects bringing a shareable world to life. And we share how-tos so you can make a shareable world real in your life. In a shareable world, solutions like clothing swaps, childcare coops, potlucks, carsharing, community gardens, and cohousing can make your life more fun, green, and affordable. When we share, not only is a better life possible, but so is a better world.

Looking to the future with a mindset of sharing in Life & Art, Work & Enterprise, Cities, CivicSystem, Science & Tech and EcoSystem. The site is full of wonderful ideas looking at what sharing could mean for the world of tomorrow.

Appetite Engineers: There is JOY in the Intense Harmonic Ragged Mysterious Teetering Messiness of all things that Stop and Start, Merg and Part, Clash and Concede. Just brilliant.

Open Magazine, Issue Two

Seeing Time Book Jacket

Tin Hat Trio, Helium

Rethink -- New Orleans -- Rebuild

I always loved this title sequence from Michael Haneke’s 2007 remake (of his own movie) Funny Games. Wait for it… wait for it….

I also love the poster that Akiko Stehrenberger designed for it (see below). You can read an interview with her here, to learn about her process.

As for the film itself, its not for everybody, but I certainly enjoyed it.

We’re trashing the planet. We’re trashing each other. And we’re not even having fun. So, let’s turn this spaceship planet earth around. Presented by the Story of Stuff Project and Free Range Studios.

Civic Center champions civic engagement through stories, services, products, and public installations. Post-it Notes for Neighbors is an interactive installation that helps demystify the topic by inviting people to share information about their living situation. Vendor Power! decodes the rules and regulations for New York’s 10,000 street vendors so they can understand their rights, avoid fines, and earn an honest living.

Upcoming projects on urban planning, public art, small businesses, clean air and being neighborly.

Now, for the first time ever, most people live in cities. And one out of three of those people live in a slum.

Designed by Pentagram for the Rockefeller Foundation, Century of the City is about the commitment to help more societies “flourish” by sthrengthening the cities — and the lives of citizens — at their core. A remarkable book on the need for leadership in the face of daunting challenges — from water, sanitation and shelter to climate change, urban health, transportation and the need for a global urban commons.

How does one go about designing an inclusive city? How do we help shape a future that will be better for everyone? Perhaps it starts with a book.

The Great Oil Leak of 2010 Poster Project: We’re graphic designers, illustrators, web designers and artists from all around the world who’ve come together to do what they can to provide support to the Gulf Coast Fishermen. A nice little poster project from John Gibby and Jeff Lush. In partnership with Gulf Aid of Acadiana to use art to bring aid to the local fisherman affected by this disaster.

Some very nice posters here:

Rowboat - by Erin Olcsvary

Stuck - by Alyssa Rose

Save the Gulf - by David Vogin

Addicted - by Jude Landry

The Graphic Design of Jontue Hollingsworth. Design to me, is like breathing. Inhaling and exhaling… observing and creating. The most enjoyable part is in the pursuit of the solution. One of the core, founding members of the Match Factory, Jontue is a force to be sure. Currently residing in Anchorage, his design and creativity has always been inspiring in both process and outcome. His worldview, profoundly captivating. His posters, striking in tone. His friendship, much appreciated. And in my unofficial “graphic design education,” Jontue has been a most excellent teacher.

Until next time, Mchlv.

Sababu Conscious Clothing

Lasting Impression

We Design

IDAttire

America has a new Website. And this time it’s for Health Care. It allows you to find insurance options, learn about prevention, compare care quality and understand the new law. That section includes a handy map to show you, the visitor, which states are choosing to not partake when it comes to pre-existing conditions, thus leading to the Federal government running the New Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP). Funny how most of those states choosing to sit this one out are rather conservative leaning. Ah, irony.

The site itself seems like a very useful tool, especially for someone like me who does pretty much everything online. So thanks Barack, for the nice new site. I’m really pulling for the rest of the law to be as clear, concise and effective.

Learn About Prevention

The PCIP Map

Get your yard sign.

A COMMUNITY COLLABORATION

Here’s one for you: a designer, a programmer, a community organizer, a communications task force and a group of committed peace and justice types ranging from well-seasoned academics to bright-eyed progressives get together to advocate for a better world. It’s a collaboration of the first order with high-minded goals concerning matters of crucial importance.

The focus is how to make a peace and justice organization more effective at making peace and justice happen. In the back of a local coffee shop, huddled over the local paper with some veggie sandwiches and fair trade coffee, the plotting and scheming goes strong once a week for many months. Usually in good spirits, with lively discussion and debates about how a little non-profit organization moves forward, what has come out of the effort has been something quite remarkable. We certainly accomplished a streamlining our communications efforts, developing a new website, creating several media campaigns to stoke the political fires and training key staff members on technology that can be used to keep things current. But there’s also been a rejuvenation of the collective spirit. I saw what I thought was glowing from several people at one of the last meetings. It could be because we’ve finally seen the sun out here in the Midwest, but I like to think it’s been this whole “working together” thing that’s the root cause of the newly intense hues.

A bumper sticker for every bumper in Nebraska

Hang out in Lincoln long enough, especially downtown, and you’ll come across several deep blue bumper stickers reading “Nebraskans for Peace.” It’s probably one of the most successful bumper sticker campaigns in American history. And a nice visual mark of identity in the community. (If anybody needs one, I’m sure I can get a couple dozen by the end of the day to whomever’s asking.) In the back of that local coffee shop, a rag tag bunch of liberal peaceniks responsible for those stickers got together to grow this organization. And in between deep conversations about the sad state of affairs for America’s foreign policy, I’d say success has been had. We set out many months ago to make Nebraskans for Peace the best damn peace and justice group it could be, building on the old school tactics of political organizing while embracing some 21st century digital activism. And today, we are moving ahead as planned.

At the beginning of the process, a communications plan was put together. Nebraskans for Peace is the oldest group of this nature in the country, so we needed to re-establish core principles and look at the changing landscape, both in political and technological terms. There are definitely things the organization does well, and of course, other things not-so-much. But coming back to the focus on community building, education and political action, after 40 years of existence, 2010 certainly was an appropriate time to look at making this little non-profit better at being a voice for change out here on the great plains.

Communications Overview for 2010

To make Nebraskans for Peace better at what it does, we looked at four areas: online, in hand, via telephone, and face to face. A new website that can be easily updated by anyone working for the organization. A continued push for thoughtful articles and stories in the bi-monthly publication called the Nebraska Report. A renewed effort at phone conversation and dialogue with the membership and an increased presence in the community with rallies, marches and protests as well as more yard signs and bumper stickers. (Have a sticker already, how about one for your neighbor’s car?) All four areas are currently being carried out feverishly. Give it a year or two, with all of our streamlined advocacy, and war will most likely cease to be acceptable and will thus have to end as more and more people rush over to our side.

The two wars America is mired in are certainly one of the issues that brings people to the group. But as a peace and justice organization, the tent is meant to be big, and includes issues dealing with the environment, civil rights and economic justice and bullying in our schools. Broad thinking on global issues certainly informs the Priorities, but how they apply locally is where the most impact can be had. If Nebraskans for Peace isn’t concerned about the military base just down the road that’s conducting warrantless wiretaps on our citizens or orchestrating drone strikes on Afghans, then who else will be?

Stop the Drones

It’s the grassroots versus the drones. Those drone planes that drop bombs indiscriminately on villages. The tea party droners who go on and on about government spending but have yet to make a peep about our bloated war budgets. And those war hawk droners who love to hold up all the marvels of our technological prowess as if that’s the high point of human accomplishment — dropping a bomb in Yemen from a control panel in Nebraska.

The new, shiny NebraskansforPeace.org

The website is the online arm of the group. Carrying articles of in-depth analysis as well as graphic campaigns designed to get to the heart of bigger issues. The military base is in our community, but those drones belong to everybody. Drones that carry quite an expensive price tag.

Goin' Broke Paying for War

The “Goin’ Broke Paying for War” campaign has become a focus in these times of seemingly unending war. It’s especially appropriate as the worry about deficits grows and the cries against “big government” get louder. The fact is this: if you want to cut down on our debt you cannot do it without cutting our war budget. We spend an absurd amount on blowing things up. Way more than we spend on kids, the elderly, our roads or sick people combined. It’s really kind of sad, building up all that weaponry while the livingry is left to fight over table scraps.

It’s as if we’re out for a crazy night at the carnival thinking our time in the bounce house never stops. We just keep jumping up and down, laughing and giggling as our bodies flail about. Perpetual motion, getting “massive air”. On and on, forever and ever. That is, until China won’t lend us money any more and the whole things deflates. Out there in a dessert. And there we are, with a case of motion sickness and no sense of direction.

As many as you need.

It’s Fourth of July time in 2010 and the battle of ideas in America continues to go on. One side is saying we spend too much, therefore strip down government. Cut medicare, privatize social security and really take on the deficit. The other side simply says, stop spending all our money on war. That’s the side I’m on. The side that says enough of these stupid, pointless wars, 700+ military bases all over the world and this thirst for empire that’s done so all other countries will do what we say. C’mon, it’s just not a 21st century way to behave.

Goin’ Broke indeed. Because of all the war we’ve got goin’ on. It seems too easy anymore, talking to my conservative friends who think we can’t afford Universal Health Care. My response: shift priorities and we got it no problem.

So my question now is, can there be common ground? Is the Tea Party and the Coffee Party set for a union of sorts? Perhaps Obama’s push for bipartisanship is rubbing off on me. Really though, the problems we face are large. Structural problems that exist at the core of our country, whether in education, economy, environment, foreign policy or our general sense of unhelpful exceptionalism. They require a large effort in response. The “fix” cannot just exist along the margins. It must be a full-on assault of all our best intentions from everywhere by everyone. With so much uproar brewing over our debt, it just may be the thing to bring together far left and far right in a very kumbaya moment.

In the back of that little coffee shop it can all certainly seem insignificant. The anti-war movement in general can seem insignificant. The noise it’s made over the last decade hasn’t really accomplished much. Though we didn’t have a major cable news network to back us. But still. One can easily become disheartened. Feelings of futility sink in. It seems like nothing is happening. And nothing is going to change.

But that’s really not true. It’s just self-inflicted drama grabbing hold. Take an honest assessment, and things are getting better. At least for this little community of collaborators. The general agitators that enjoy each other’s company enough to make the little incremental movements that assure the rest of the population that yep, we peaceniks are out here. Still making noise. As long as there’s war to be had, they’ll be peace to throw at it.

So from the designer, the programmer, the community organizer, the communications task force and the group of committed peace and justice types, here’s to a better world.

– Justin Kemerling, Designer. justinkemerling.com

Get Your World Cup Radial Bracket Poster

Hyperakt Studio: Exceptional design isn’t just about making things look pretty. It’s about making them more meaningful, useful and engaging. It’s about improving communication and capturing hearts and minds.

A lovely design firm from NYC who loves to do work for do gooders. Very good stuff. 

NAACP

Institute for War & Peace Reporting

From the Library of Congress, a wonderful poster collection of the Works Progress Administration. Impeccable typography. Extremely skilled imagery. All in the name of progress and moving America forward. I can just hear the glenn beck army of spastics now. Oh the rallying cries: “I’ll blind my kid if I want to.” “Stay away from the bottom of my swimming pool.” “Keep your damn hands off my syphilis.” Ah what fun. 

It’s quite a selection of work from an important part of American history. When government was seen as a tool for equality and democratic processes. As we approach Independence Day these posters offer a nice visual ride through a time of bold visioning. 

The Rest Saving The West

The Competition: We live in a complex world, one full of inequities and wonderful things. Our fellows in the First World have been concerned for awhile with us having the major share of the badness, so we thought, why don’t we pay back? After all, their life isn’t problem-free either. And that’s where this competition starts. We’re calling artists, designers, tinkerers, makers, and thinkers with an idea to participate. Two con­ditions only: you were born in and live right now in a Developing Country and you are 13 years of age or older.

Areas of Focus:
• Reducing obesity.
• Addressing aging population and low birth rate.
• Reducing consumption rate of mass produced goods.
• Integrating the immigrant population.

SPUR's Agenda for Change

Included in the Meeting of the Minds 2010 conference was a presentation by Gabriel Metcalf from SPUR. Focusing on the innovations we need for more sustainable cities, the conference was a gathering of leading thinkers, architects, designers, political officials, policy experts, environmental advocates, urban planners, leading foundations, community activists, and on and on. There was a lot covered in two days that I’ll write more on this week. But one of the most engaging presentations was from Gabriel on the work of SPUR. Their Agenda for Change includes Community Planning, Disaster Planning, Economic Development, Good Government, Housing, Regional Planning, Sustainable Development and Transportation. It’s really worth exploring further.