The aim of this brief was to create print and ambient media promoting the 18 Gangster Museum and dissuading people in high risk locations from joining gangs. I chose to work with the fact that when someone joins a gang - they are putting the people they love at risk as well. To do this I created the SMP ‘When you signed up, so did they.’
The images I took and then photoshopped I made to look extremely dark and grungy in order to better get my message across. I also chose to work with posters as my print media with the idea that Museum 18 (which is a mobile museum) can put them up, with permission, at every location that they visit - leaving behind a reminder of their visit as well as some food for thought for the locals.
The posters feature family members trying to protect themselves. One, a child, hides in a cupboard. Another, a woman kneels before her heavily locked door. Lastly, a father figure dresses himself for church, but beneath his special church clothes the viewer can see a bullet-proof Kevlar vest. All show fear and foreboding and hopefully this shock tactic will stay with viewers for a long time after seeing the posters.
