Interview about Peace Hunter Poster, winner of the A' Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Award 2023
This is a series of posters showing the importance of maintaining peace and doesn't point fingers at any race, religion, country, or person. It's a message that conveys the harm caused by a breach of peace and shows that the other side will take advantage of it. Some parties are scattered all over the world waiting to take advantage of a breakdown in the peace of anywhere in the world. Where he lives, is a country that gained release after 30 years of war. Ending a war is difficult, so he believes that it is so vital to identify the chances that war can happen and take measures to prevent it.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsSri Lanka, where I live, recently gained its independence after enduring thirty years of war. I have experienced this firsthand, and it remains a deeply tragic reality. Certain groups have long been invested in perpetuating conflict, with parasitic factions thriving on war. These groups are deeply entrenched in today's world, and when there is no active conflict, they work to create an environment that fosters one, allowing them to continue profiting from the turmoil. Unfortunately, the general population remains largely unaware of these underlying truths. In Sri Lanka, this reality had dire consequences, affecting the economy, social life, education, healthcare, and much more.I did not want to point a finger at any race, religion, country, or individual, as these are the most sensitive topics that can easily ignite conflict. These are often the very factors that fuel wars, sparking tensions anywhere, at any time. I didn’t want to create another war by highlighting these issues in a poster series.However, this issue is not only unique to Sri Lanka; it is a global reality. Throughout history, especially during world wars, there have always been forces at work to maintain conflict. That’s why I named this poster series "Peace Hunters." It symbolizes the ongoing search for peace, even in the face of those who profit from war.
In my view, olive branches and doves have become symbols of peace that are often more about marketing than meaningful representation. These symbols have turned into mere props, commercialized in today’s world. But if there is no conflict and no harm being done, do we even need a symbol of peace? Why rely on a symbol if we aren't actively working towards its real-life presence? As long as peace is reduced to a symbol, no one is truly motivated to maintain or pursue it.With this in mind, I wanted to illustrate the true nature of peace—where it exists, where it doesn’t, and where it may never be. I also incorporated symbols, but not in the traditional sense. Instead of presenting peace through familiar emblems, I used elements from nature as symbols to convey the core message of the posters. It’s about showing how we can lose our peace, and how nature often holds valuable life lessons. In this case, I applied natural theory in a practical way to express the concept.
I’ve seen many times when war seemed to be coming to an end, only for some internal or external involvement to prevent it. Every time, it seemed like peace was within reach, and discussions were held, but unfortunately, they were never fruitful. The issue was that whenever a third party supported reconciliation, there was always another party opposed to it. I wonder when people will truly realize that there’s nothing to gain from war. In my life, all I’ve ever seen from war is loss—loss of everything. Meanwhile, the benefits of war are always reaped by outsiders who actively oppose peace.
For the visual composition, I positioned the hunter’s eye according to the rule of thirds, to create a balanced design. I’ve shown only a fragment of the hunter’s face, making it impossible to identify who they are. This invites the viewer to guess, much like in real life, where we can only speculate about the hunter's identity, never truly knowing if our guesses are correct.In the posters, I used color purposefully to emphasize the sorrow of losing peace. Approximately 95% of the poster is in black and white, with only the eye in color. The eye is the focal point—the part every hunter is drawn to. This is why I chose to depict the colorful prey through the hunter's eye, symbolizing the last vibrant moment of the prey’s life.The eye is one of the most important features of any hunter. They watch their prey without blinking, waiting for the precise moment of weakness. Similarly, in real life, third parties often involve themselves in conflicts—either supporting or opposing—watching, and waiting for the right moment to intervene.
Each poster in the series uses animal imagery to represent conflict. For instance, in one design, two hippopotamuses clash, with the hunter appearing as a crocodile or an anaconda. In another, two birds are engaged in battle, and the hunter is an eagle or owl. In yet another, two deer fight, with a tiger or leopard lurking as the hunter. The viewer can only perceive the conflict through the hunter’s perspective, symbolizing the destructive nature of discord.The choice of animals and their settings is intentional. Each poster is set in one of three locations where peace is vulnerable to disruption: the air, the water, and the land. These environments reflect different aspects of conflict and war. The prey can clearly see the danger, but the hunter remains hidden, symbolizing how often those causing harm do so out of sight—an analogy to the nature of war in reality.
My research has highlighted the role of various conflict-driven industries, and this understanding of war's economic motivations significantly influenced the conceptual development of the Peace Hunter Poster series.As I mentioned, Sri Lanka, where I live, gained independence after enduring a brutal thirty-year-long war. My personal experiences there have deepened my understanding of the complexities of conflict. During that time, industries like arms trade, drug trafficking, and organ trade thrived, fueled by criminal syndicates. Pro-war factions often exacerbate disputes, destabilizing states and creating conditions for war by fostering divisions through borders, tribal boundaries, and religious conflicts. This pattern is not unique to Sri Lanka—around the world, similar forces are at play. The same dynamics are unfolding in various places even today, at this very moment.
In the Peace Hunter Poster series, I sought to create a dialogue between the image and text that would guide viewers toward their own realizations about peace. The artwork itself is deeply symbolic, but I wanted to ensure the message wasn’t lost on those who may not immediately interpret its visual complexity. That’s why I paired the artwork with a clear, concise message: "Discord leads to destruction."Additionally, I included a brief description to further illuminate the theme: "Peace hunters wait for the right moment to catch their prey. Do not let your discord become someone else’s victim. Unity is the key to rejecting war and achieving peace." This text acts as a guide, offering viewers a pathway to understanding the deeper meaning behind the visual elements of the poster.While I initially considered a purely visual approach, I ultimately decided to include text to ensure the message could be easily understood by a wider audience. The goal was to strike a balance between artistic expression and clear communication, allowing the viewer to not only absorb the meaning but also reflect on their personal interpretation of peace.
Crafting the subtle yet powerful narrative within the Peace Hunter Poster wasn’t without its challenges, especially since my native language is Sinhala. I have a deep passion for playing with the Sinhala language, and I enjoy the nuances and creative possibilities it offers. However, writing creatively in English posed a unique challenge, as I didn’t always have a firm grasp of the phrases and patterns that might allow me to fully express the idea in the same fluid, impactful way.Despite this, the core message I wanted to convey was clear. I began by crafting the concept in Sinhala, focusing on the meaning I wanted to communicate. Once I had the essence of the message, I then translated it into English. This process allowed me to ensure that the integrity of the idea remained intact while adapting it to a different language and cultural context. My background in advertising helped me focus on clarity and impact, ensuring the message was direct but layered with meaning. Meanwhile, my creative writing experience allowed me to infuse a subtle narrative that invites deeper reflection.
The Peace Hunter Poster series is designed with long-term relevance in mind, considering how the theme of peace—and the forces that threaten it—transcends cultural boundaries and historical periods. Throughout history, peace has often been lost not on a familial or individual level, but on a national or imperial one. Why is this? The pursuit of power. Empires throughout history sought to expand their dominions, and today, leaders still aspire to build empires, driven by a desire for control and influence.Looking at the modern world, it's evident that conflicts are fueled by the same factors: weapons, religion, drugs, medicine, body parts, diamonds, gold, oil, minerals, and land. All of these can destroy peace in an instant by sowing discord. This pattern of conflict has played out in the past and continues today. And the question remains: do we truly believe it won’t happen again in the future?By focusing on universal themes of power, discord, and destruction, the Peace Hunter Poster aims to resonate with viewers across different cultures and eras. The visual language—through its symbolism and the timeless metaphor of "the hunter" and "the prey"—is meant to evoke a sense of ongoing relevance, reminding us that the forces threatening peace are as persistent as they are universal.
While I don’t believe a poster series alone can bring peace to the world, I do believe the "Peace Hunter" Posters can shine a light on the hidden forces behind the disappearance of peace. By drawing attention to the deeper, often unseen motivations driving conflict, this poster series aims to provoke critical thinking about why peace is so frequently disrupted.If people from all corners of the world encounter this poster series, they might begin to recognize the hidden networks and power dynamics that influence the course of history.The message behind the poster is universal—it speaks to the underlying causes of discord, whether on a continental, national, or local level. Viewers can interpret the ideas in ways that resonate with their own experiences, allowing the work to transcend specific regions or conflicts. Ultimately, I hope that Peace Hunter Poster encourages a deeper, more global understanding of how peace can be undermined and the steps that might be taken to prevent it.I hope this work contributes to broader conversations about peace and conflict prevention by revealing the political and economic forces at play in global conflicts.
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