That Art Directors Club call for entries poster is just a little too political for my taste.

I know the majority of designers are liberal, and so seeing Bush with the devil isn't a big deal for most of their audience; but is it really necessary to infuse a design competition with politics? It just seems to me that the apocalyptic scene is entirely from a liberal viewpoint.

too political? its not political enough. its too damn funny. this may be the best call for entries I've seen in some time. If you live in a cabin in a small town in Indiana, listen to Rush Limp ball and wish vague drawings of armadillos translated into branding, then yes, its too far-reaching.

beautiful piece, marian!

So, Felix, I will take that to mean you don't mind infusing something with politics for completely superfluous purposes?

I could understand that poster for some sort of juried show with an apocalyptic or political theme, but not for this.

Adelie meet Felix. He can't help it. God just made him that way and he stopped taking his happy medicine.

As for the ADC poster, I'm thinking of joining the ADC just to make sure I get a print of one every year. Adelie, you think this poster is too political? I'm guessing you didn't see last years?

Cactus (do you mind being called "Cactus"), yeah, I saw last year's. It was the "Pimp my Brand" poster and I remember the huge controversy over that poster. So, perhaps that's just the way of the ADC, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Regarding the poster as art, I have no criticisms of the design, content, or what-have-you and can understand your "scheme" of joining the ADC just to get a copy of the posters. My beef is entirely with the use of it.

The poster is trying way too hard.

This just shows you whatever bashes President Bush gets extra bonus points. Just like whenever someone says something bad about him it gets on the frontpage of the newspaper.

Come on people -- lighten up. I think the ADC poster is fucking great. It doesn't take itself too seriously, and makes a statement that's a helluva lot more interesting than the usual metaphoric, abstract photograph or masturbatory type vomit poster.

It's Big Daddy Roth meets Doonesbury. What's not to love?

And marian, you're the end darlin.

There is a tipping point where, whether the creator intended to or not, the message steps from what it is saying on the surface to merely trying to rile people up. That's the feeling I get from this poster. Even if it was done in a vien of humor, the humor is totally lost (at least on me) by the sheer over the top ridiculousness of it.

The real message is, I believe, the call for sumissions. It's buried so deep under the political imagery that it is lost. That is the main reason I think this was not the best route. Whether you agree with the politics or not, this doesn't come across as a call for submissions poster so much as a painting someone found and put some type in the corner for the event.

Not to mention the problems with the actual design. Big Daddy Roth had a definitive style. All due respect to the creators, this looks like a high school art class student trying to imitate Big Daddy Roth.

And the type. Oh Lord, the type.

The real message is, I believe, the call for sumissions. It's buried so deep under the political imagery that it is lost. That is the main reason I think this was not the best route. Whether you agree with the politics or not, this doesn't come across as a call for submissions poster so much as a painting someone found and put some type in the corner for the event.
And the type. Oh Lord, the type.

I have to 100% agree here. I spent so much time analyzing the image that by the time I got to the bottom right corner I didn't care what it said (and wasn't really able to read the Black-letter against the hard-pan). But back to content vs. function, I have to also strongly agree with the original comment, a majority of designers may look at this and take it as a joke, but wouldn't it better to have something remotely close to representing what the poster was for...as it is, it seems like the ADC is experiencing Armageddon (much like Armin almost alluded to in the SpeakUp/live feed thread).
...with a super smooth live feed*, which will be active for the remainder of the Triennial — and Speak Up's existence.

RE: completely superfluous purposes

Adelie,

I can understand your rancour. perhaps they (the ADC) were intentionally pitting geographies here (southern thinkers vs northern liberals, etc). i found the entire thing such a gas... i mean, c'mon, its drawn by a street artist! who apprently has, like cactus "prickly peyote" jones, plenty of happy meds on hand.

maybe I'm wrong... maybe our country isn't going down the shitter... maybe we (the award show hungry) should continue to demand ladders and stars and imagery that really asks bigger questions about who we are, what we do and the effects we have culture.