Rainbow Propaganda is a visual work that contains publication, exhibition, and installation design. the purpose of this project is to promote LGBT culture in China. Around 300 years from the present, in China’s Qing Dynasty, people created a tragic fairy tale of Rabbit God to arouse people’s reflection on diverse love forms. However, LGBT groups in many Asian countries will still be treated with discrimination and bias in the current world. Therefore, I used the original character of Rabbit God combined with modern visual design languages to create a brand new story. My purpose is to challenge social stereotypes and controversies by using unfamiliar and creative visual language to provoke people’s reactions. Firstly, I made a series of illustrations containing the Cultural Revolution propaganda elements, which seem very ironic here. Then I turned an ordinary public washroom into a celebrating exhibition space full of LGBT propaganda and other visual designs for the viewer to enter my work and experience it personally. Finally, with the photos taken, I created a publication that tells the story of a modern man who hid his sexual orientation because of social pressures. But found the courage and freedom to reveal his real inner identity after entering the washroom—a place where the audience can also embrace their true identity
Gayte
( Publication, 18 pages, 8.5x11 inch)
Gayte Magazine is a publication in the Rainbow Propaganda project. The legend of Rabbit God— a god that blesses the love between two men, is far long forgotten by the nation's culture, people, and history. However, its implication is significant for LGTB groups in China to find their ancient origins in the world's culture. Around 300 years from the present, in China's Qing Dynasty, people created a tragic fairy tale of Rabbit God to arouse people's reflection on diverse love forms. However, LGBT groups in many Asian countries will still be treated with discrimination and bias in the current world. Therefore, I used the original character of Rabbit God combined with modern visual design languages to create a brand new story. My purpose is to challenge social stereotypes and controversies by using unfamiliar and creative visual language to provoke people's reactions. Firstly, I made a series of illustrations containing the Cultural Revolution propaganda elements, which seem very ironic here. Then I turned a shared washroom into a celebrating exhibition space full of LGBT propaganda and other visual designs for the viewer to enter my work and experience it personally. It is like reverse propaganda, ironically. Finally, with the photos taken, I created a publication that tells the story of a modern man who hid his sexual orientation because of social pressures. But found the courage and freedom to reveal his real inner identity after entering the washroom—a place where the audience can also embrace their true identity.
( Publication, 18 pages, 8.5x11 inch)
Gayte Magazine is a publication in the Rainbow Propaganda project. The legend of Rabbit God— a god that blesses the love between two men, is far long forgotten by the nation's culture, people, and history. However, its implication is significant for LGTB groups in China to find their ancient origins in the world's culture. Around 300 years from the present, in China's Qing Dynasty, people created a tragic fairy tale of Rabbit God to arouse people's reflection on diverse love forms. However, LGBT groups in many Asian countries will still be treated with discrimination and bias in the current world. Therefore, I used the original character of Rabbit God combined with modern visual design languages to create a brand new story. My purpose is to challenge social stereotypes and controversies by using unfamiliar and creative visual language to provoke people's reactions. Firstly, I made a series of illustrations containing the Cultural Revolution propaganda elements, which seem very ironic here. Then I turned a shared washroom into a celebrating exhibition space full of LGBT propaganda and other visual designs for the viewer to enter my work and experience it personally. It is like reverse propaganda, ironically. Finally, with the photos taken, I created a publication that tells the story of a modern man who hid his sexual orientation because of social pressures. But found the courage and freedom to reveal his real inner identity after entering the washroom—a place where the audience can also embrace their true identity.
RAINBOW
PROPAGANDA
poster design
I choose propaganda posters because they have the power to promote thought or theory directly and powerfully. In 1960s China, the Chinese government used this to brainwash people’s thoughts and achieve political goals. It is a symbol of authority and absolute power. So I think it will be ironic to use propaganda posters to promote something that the Chinese government restricts.
Gay ticket
Food tickets can feed up people’s stomachs by trading food; on the other hand, Rabbit God LGTB tickets can enrich and free people’s minds and spirits.
The visual designs are not to be disturbing and rude. But because food tickets represented the most autocratic and dark period of China when individuals had no right to be themselves. Therefore, I chose to use more extreme visual elements to match the property of the food ticket but to use the new design to promote a restricted behavior to be ironic.
booth design concept
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