Exploring the Iconography of the Westboro Baptist Church
Project Overview: This series of works interrogates the controversial visual language employed by the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC). Through its provocative picket signs and inflammatory slogans, the WBC has constructed a distinct iconographic style that wields graphic design as a tool for propaganda. This project critically examines these visual elements, recontextualizing them to explore themes of hate, identity, and the weaponization of faith.
Conceptual Framework
The work operates at the intersection of semiotics, cultural critique, and visual aesthetics. By appropriating and deconstructing the WBC's designs, the project seeks to reveal the mechanics of their messaging: bold typography, primary color palettes, and stark contrasts that evoke urgency and confrontation. This approach raises questions about the ethics of visual communication and the power dynamics embedded in religious rhetoric.
Central to the project is the notion of reclaiming space. While the original works of the WBC aim to isolate and condemn, these re-imaginations propose alternative narratives that foster dialogue and reflection. By transforming hateful imagery into points of discussion, the work challenges viewers to reconsider the power of context in shaping meaning.
Technical Process
The series is executed using a combination of traditional screen printing and digital manipulation. Each piece begins with a detailed analysis of WBC visuals, focusing on typographic weight, spacing, and layout structures. These elements are then disassembled and reconstructed in Adobe Illustrator, introducing distortions and overlays that mimic the breakdown of a static message.
The final designs are printed on archival-grade cotton paper using fluorescent inks, chosen to replicate the aggressive vibrancy of the original signs while emphasizing their transformation. Select works incorporate reflective materials, creating a dynamic interaction with light that mirrors the performative nature of the WBC’s protests.
Selected Works
- "Shadows of Faith" (2024): A 3-panel installation juxtaposing original WBC slogans with re-imagined phrases that question the dichotomy of sin and salvation.
- "Propaganda Revisited" (2023): A mixed-media collage blending archival footage of WBC protests with reinterpretations of their slogans in muted tones.
- "Color of Hate" (2023): A series of silkscreen prints exploring the psychological impact of color in propagandist imagery.
Exhibition History
This body of work debuted at the Contested Icons group exhibition at the Institute of Visual Rhetoric in London (2023). It has since been featured in publications such as Art and Activism and Critical Design Quarterly.
About the Artist
[Artist Name] is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice explores the intersection of visual culture, politics, and religious iconography. Based in London, their work has been exhibited internationally and focuses on creating dialogue around polarizing societal narratives.