Statement of Intent
My partner and I will be creating an a-frame wearable advertisement depicting the dark history behind the carnival 19th century, beloved “Freak Show” (also known as the Geek Show). To do so we will design four poster advertisements. They will be displayed in a fashion that mirrors the mechanics of standard window blinds. Using this mechanism we will be able to flip between advertisements. The front will depict what advertisements want you to believe about the freak show. The “flip side” will expose the reality of what is being advertised in such a positive light. Each poster is designed for its purpose. One side is geared towards enticing the audience members of the show, while the other is for the potential performers signing up. Placing the advertisements on the body allows the audience to interact with the pieces and the marketer.
Ideation
Product
Reflection
This project tested me and my partner in many ways but taught me a lot along the process. One thing to take away is that we did not manage our time efficiently. I spent too long focusing on the advertisement and waited till the last minute to print it out. This did not leave us enough time to practice the blind mechanism and perfect it for the deadline. We struggled with the materials and stability when it came to the ladders. The biggest piece of this project was testing materials, designs, and mechanisms.
The meaning behind our advertisements was the harmful past of the carnivals' “freak shows”. These performances would trick the public into watching a grotesque scene, while also tricking the “freaks” they would find off the streets into a ‘rewarding’ career. We wanted to expose the false advertising that occurred not only in the past but still happening in the present. Utilizing the window blind mechanism to show two contrasting sides was our strongest asset.
