Assignment for Design Studio I, October 2023
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, chipboard, acetate, paper, dollar bills, hot glue, double sided tape

This project was completed for a political poster assignment. Due to my extensive involvement with the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, I opted to focus my project on US aid to Israel. Since 1967, Israel has illegally occupied the West Bank and is steadily carrying out a campaign of creeping annexation, which involves demolition of Palestinian homes and communities, displacing Palestinian families, and constructing new access roads and infrastructure for the benefit of settlements, which are Israeli towns and cities within occupied territory. These practices violate the 4th Geneva Convention as well as US policies and values, but Israel still receives $3.8 billion annually in security assistance from the US (note that this research was done prior to October 7th and the data have likely changed). This is more than any other country receives. Due to inadequate oversight and insufficient enforcement, we do not know where the money is going, meaning US aid could be funding weapons and equipment used by Israeli forces to carry out more actions that violate international law, US law, and Palestinian rights. Visit jstreet.org/j-street-u/no-aid-to-occupation for more information.

Due to the nature of the assignment, students were required to choose an organization that would theoretically be funding the poster. My project is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by J Street, the organization I chose for the assignment.

Only after installing my work did I realize it was next to a sign that said “IDF Room”. It was not originally supposed to be part of the work, but I think it adds an interesting layer. (The IDF, or Israel Defense Forces, is the Israeli military.)