User:Okemate

Defending Democracy

This poster was commissioned by the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockholm, designed to be a part of the 'Unity Project', in which the purpose was to call upon all Americans to uphold democracy by voting. The Project featured six striking images from top illustrators, commissioned by the Museum work to establish unity and belonging among all Americans, who share in common the right to elect a government of the people. The Campaign reminds people that the constitution gives power to the people, and will reinforce citizen agency, 'the Unity project' strives to uphold social justice through illustration art, by commissioning six of the best illustrators, with hope it inspires citizens across the nation to vote.

One out of these six selected graphic artists was Yuko Shimizu, she wanted to ‘create a poster that is unapologetically American, powerful, hopeful and full of energy [that would] encourage women and minorities [but also be] accessible to everyone.’ Although she resides in America, she can’t call it her home as she is not an American Citizen. She discusses about how ‘This country’s politics affect me and my life, but I can’t personally cast my vote. As an artist, the least I can do is participate and illustrate a poster to ask those who can go and vote. And to defend democracy.’ She wanted people to people to get people exited to vote and to know that every single one of the has the power to make changes. From her Artwork she wanted to convey that each individual voter, was in a way, a superhero. And that idea is the beauty of democracy and the need to keep it intact.

For the art piece Shimizu wanted to create a portrait of a contemporary woman of colour as a Lady Liberty Super heroine, starting with rough sketches and ideas, Shimizu creates many iterations of ‘thumbnails’ trying to frame the figure perfectly to achieve the desired affect. Shimizu also has to note the differences of Japanese and American illustrations as they differ in the direction people read, sometimes having to invert her work. After numerous iterations, experimentation of perspective, colour and finding the desired thumbnail, Shimizu enlarges them in photoshop so it can be traced down onto Water colour paper where it is thick enough and suitable to start her main application of work, brush work. Sometimes this process can take hours or even days, making sure the lines are clear and confident. After this procedure she scans the art work and brings it into Digital Software like photoshop, where she adds colour and further texture.

The final project shows power, conviction and freedom, many details could be missed if not seen in depth. A closer look at the figure shows an powerful defender of freedom, a symbolic gesture and image. 'Lady Liberty flies into our orbit as a contemporary superhero of immense power, an avatar of the nation’s symbolic Statue of Liberty, yet she reminds us of Howard Chandler Christie’s diaphanous Liberty Bond women of World War I, a century old tradition of motivational posters to inspire us to defend our country through thrift and investment to fight for freedom in the world.'

'Looking closely you can see that she is wearing a medical mask, a bold maternal symbol protecting her citizens’ health and wellness during this time of global pandemic. Lady Liberty reminds us that we must fiercely defend the promise of freedom demanded not only in our Declaration of Independence which claims our right to the pursuit of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, but the symbolic promise of the Statue of Liberty to welcome immigrants to shores of to this land.'

https://forward-festival.com/article/yuko-shimizu-the-honest-truth

https://www.designweek.co.uk/inspiration/living-with-yuko-shimizu-book-by-road-publishing/