Illustrations can often act as a mirror, reflecting the social issues and problems of the time. So for that reason, I like the idea of producing a set of illustrations that I can base my campaign/response around.
With the rise of ubiquitous Internet, smart phones, and other Internet enabled devices - being online all the time is not only possible, it's just normal now: '24/7 updates and connected-ness'
This list of satirical illustrations highlight some of the biggest problems with technology addiction, that I could be inspired by to adapt to my illustration responses.
Pawel Kuczynski
Art isn’t just meant to look pretty – it can also be used to transfer ideas and messages.
The Polish illustrator’s grim and sharply satirical works are a perfect example of art that speaks volumes.
Kuczynski’s images are so powerful because they force us to face some of the worst realities of our times. It’s beautiful – not in a flowers-and-sunlight kind of way, but in a brutally truthful way.
He addresses war, political manipulation and hypocrisy, environmental damage, economic disparity and many other ills facing mankind today. The images strike just the right balance between obvious and complicated – just about anyone can get what they mean, but you will have to discover that meaning first.
The pastel colors and simple shapes and forms of his artwork gives it a sort of timeless look. And, for better or for worse, so do the messages he displays in his work.
The Polish illustrator’s grim and sharply satirical works are a perfect example of art that speaks volumes.
Kuczynski’s images are so powerful because they force us to face some of the worst realities of our times. It’s beautiful – not in a flowers-and-sunlight kind of way, but in a brutally truthful way.
He addresses war, political manipulation and hypocrisy, environmental damage, economic disparity and many other ills facing mankind today. The images strike just the right balance between obvious and complicated – just about anyone can get what they mean, but you will have to discover that meaning first.
The pastel colors and simple shapes and forms of his artwork gives it a sort of timeless look. And, for better or for worse, so do the messages he displays in his work.
Periscope - reflects how we observe the outside world from behind closed doors and almost eves-drop/spy on what everyone else is doingConfession - suggests how we no longer speak about our problems but just plaster them on social media to get empty affection/attention .
Duel - reflects the many keyboard warriors of today! And how people love giving their opinions online.
Gossip - Reflects just how quickly it takes for something private to be exposed to everyone online
Islands - More of a surrealist feel. Reflects how we might as well be confined to our own desert islands to which we communicate from
Trapped within ones phone.
Let's Play! - Angel Boligan
Reflecting how kids would rather stare at a screen than do active, social dependant activites.
John Holcroft
British illustrator John Holcroft manages to connect two different eras through one visual medium. Drawing inspiration from 1950s screen print posters, he creates retro style illustrations that depict what’s wrong with the world today.
Holcraft’s quirky, satirical works of art cover contemporary issues like society’s dependence on technology,
devaluation of workforce, obesity, politics and more.
His past clients include Guardian, Telegraph, Economist, Independent, etc (predominantly features in newspaper articles)
Ego - reflects people seeking gratification online to boost their ego and self-worth.
Literature - love the use of the little social media icons on nails. Implies the new standard of language/living.
Locked into a Contract
Sexting - Marc Kostabi
Reflects loss of empathy due to technology.
Like-aholic - Asaf Hanuka
- more of a direct, shocking representation of addiction to technology.
- a scare-tactic approach
Jean Jullien
Illustrator Jean Jullien has released his first first book, featuring 150 of his commissions and Instagram posts all in one place.
Modern Life highlights Jullien’s humorous observations of daily life, I have picked pieces which reflect these 'issues' with technology in modern life.
Wierdo on the Subway - reflects how it has become the norm to be glued to your screen rather than interacting.
Valentines Day - Reflecting loss of empathy again and in-ability to socialise at meals.
Never Alone - Connected to the world 24/7 via news, the web, social media
Freedom! - Reflects how some places actually put rules in order to encourage interaction.
- could adapt this to a response on the dancefloor
Live Screening - How people go to concerts, live events to experience it through their phone screen, just to share with their friends - just enjoy the moment!
Before Instagram - highlighting the obsession of photographing food and sharing it with everyone (bragging rights really). Questioning did we use big cameras at meal times before we had little HD cameras in our pockets?
Self Service - the self service pandemic! Humans being replaced by machines, efficiency or avoiding social interaction?
Fine Dining - The typical family meal nowadays, everyone glued to a screen again.
Modern Living - how we use and rely on our phones for everything now - food, films, gratification, hotels, love.
E-Cigarettes
- another advancement/difference in the modern world
Evolution of reading the news at breakfast - reflecting our love for reading the news on a screen, the bigger the better!
Passive - Joey Klarenbeek
This poster is for an international poster competition called Positive Posters which is an Australian-based non-profit organisation that aims to raise international awareness for global social issues with design.
They achieve this by holding an annual poster competition every year. http://positive-posters.com/
This concept was about technology making us apparently more connected with smart phones, iPads to computer glasses but there is less eye contact in conversation and we all see the crowds walking or standing, all staring at their devices, rather than interacting with a stranger right next to them.
Albert Einstein said it himself “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.”
Can't Escape - Makkah NewspaperHeld hostage by our phones and various social medias
Steve Cutts
Art isn’t all fairytale photoshoots and landscape shots – it can also act as catalyst of change. Steve Cutts thinks that many things in the world should be different.
Work shouldn’t be a grinding, soul-crushing rat race for the almighty dollar. Consumerism shouldn’t hold a vice-like grip on our lives. And social media, well, we need to throw-off the shackles we so eagerly put on ourselves. Wouldn’t life be better then?
Steve Cutts is an illustrator and animator from London. Faced with the choice of working at McDonalds or studying Fine Arts, he chose the latter. He worked at Glueisobar as the main storyboard concept artist before making the leap to freelance work.
Cutts makes videos and images that criticise modern life – he states that insanity of humanity is an endless pool of inspiration.
Zombies - we have become a generation of digital zombies!
Brecht Vandenbroucke is the Belgium-based artist behind these thought-provoking drawings that aim to show the world from a different perspective and prove our obsession with social media, technology, and what others think about us.
Zombies - we have become a generation of digital zombies!Brecht Vandenbroucke is the Belgium-based artist behind these thought-provoking drawings that aim to show the world from a different perspective and prove our obsession with social media, technology, and what others think about us.
Shows a crowd filled with mobile phones, and then a blind man and his dog sat infront of the speaker. Why do you actually go to a concert?
Size of gravestones determined by the amount of followers and likes - reflects how some people live their lives! All about the ratio!
Reflects the uncertainty of social media and being online. Catfishes - you don't know who you're talking to, its not real life.
Size of gravestones determined by the amount of followers and likes - reflects how some people live their lives! All about the ratio!Reflects the uncertainty of social media and being online. Catfishes - you don't know who you're talking to, its not real life.
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