Protests spur design outburst

A young woman lifts a pink sign high above her head. Black-inked, large block letters read, "On occupied land since 1492." A older woman stands outside the Chapel Hill Post Office. Behind her, the American flag curls against itself in the wind.

She too holds a sign: A stenciled silhouette of two people waving a pennant that reads, "Solidarity, Students & Workers, take back our economy."

A group of more than 100 people point their hands toward the clear sky, waving their fingers like pianists in symbolic affirmation. These are all scenes from "Occupy Together" demonstrations in Chapel Hill and Durham last weekend. All people communicating in some way: participatory democracy at work.

The "Occupy Together" movement has taken shape through a wide range of communication techniques, among them stencil-style posters and sign-making.

In downtown Chapel Hill, posters sympathetic to the movement have appeared pasted onto postal drop boxes and newspaper stands. These unauthorized, paste-up posters depicting radical imagery and messages work on multiple levels. Kenneth Andrews is an associate professor in the department of sociology at the University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill.

Andrews' research examines social movements, including their political and social impact. "Presumably, what that [poster] style does is signal a kind of authenticity, a non-corporate mode of communication," said Andrews.

According to Andrews, there is another possible effect: "You see some people become dismissive through that method."

The official posters of "Occupy Together" – available for free use by the 99 percent –  denounce corporate greed and bring attention to a variety of social issues.

Graphic Designer Raina Dayne contributed a number of her designs to the movement. She seeks no payment or credit. Dayne said she hopes that people come together to fight against oppression in any way possible. "The ‘Occupy Movement' is really important to how our country progresses from this point on," said Dayne.

"This movement really shows the feelings of a large majority of Americans.

They are unsatisfied and feel that their voices are not heard, or if they are heard, they are not validated. "I've always felt that design by nature should be simple, straightforward," Dayne said. "Design is ultimately communication."

Local design has focused on the bull, an image synonymous with Durham. Hannah Peele is a Durham resident and designer. She has created campaign-style buttons featuring the bull silhouette.

Peele pointed out that Durham was once considered the Wall Street of the South. "For Durham the bull is a big symbol. Partly I was connecting our bull to the bull of Wall Street," Peele said, referring to the economic term bull market. Peele also mentioned the source of design in the "Occupy Together" movement.

"There is definitely a certain aesthetic that is popular among designers, the young creative class that is unemployed or under employed," Peele said. "Design is a unifying force. Art has the ability to unite communities."

Art and creative discourse have been a focus of the "Occupy Together" movement from the outset. "Occupy Wall Street" protesters have formed an arts and culture committee."

They hold daily meetings to discuss creative endeavors related to their movement. Recent minutes from a committee meeting proposed a creative method to repurpose materials in support of their message: "Proposal for performance art piece on plaza to shred tax documents to create beds for occupiers this November.

Occupiers would bring actual loan statements/ tax documents to be shredded on-site. The shredded documents would be repurposed to create beds for occupiers."

While the movement's message is anti-corporate, it is a paradox that protesters are forced to organize using social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Perhaps the paradox is best addressed by another scene from last weekend. A middle-aged man wearing a bright orange shirt, the number 99 written in permanent ink on his back, holds a sign that reads, "1% Y U no pay taxes?"