‘Lindstorm’ recently conducted an experiment which examined the neurological activity of 65 people, whilst exposing them to images of various images of Apple.Inc products. The investigation revealed that brain activity was similar in people to when they had been exposed to religious imagery, perhaps a result of Apples branding, incorporating religious aesthetics. In response to such information, I wanted to create an illustration of ‘Steve Jobs’, the ‘messiah’ of the ‘Apple religion’, exposing the companies branding techniques and true values, far from the publics idealistic perception.
I used acrylic, a contemporary transparent material to mimic gothic stained glass, perhaps one of the most iconic aesthetic styles to be seen in places of worship. Stained glass was seen to create a connection with God through the manipulation of natural light, creating a somewhat majestic feeling within these spaces. Stained glass was also used as a means story telling, something I wished to project in my illustration. The design appears idealistic from a distance, but when approached it reveals ‘cracks’ and ‘faults’ emphasising, perhaps, the dark side to the success of Apple.
The illustration itself is an info graphic, constructed from 1600 triangles, each of which, represent an employee at Apples main supplier, Foxconn in China. Every 48 hours this amount of employees quit the factory due to poor working conditions, but the 14 pieces missing have a more significant meaning. Each represents an employee who has taken their own life whilst at work at Foxconn, overwhelmed by the repetitive tasks they are forced to do just to get by. To aesthetically reference China in the design, I limited my pallet to tones of red and yellow as they are iconic colours, seen in Chinese temples.
I believe that it’s about time that Apple and their consumers applied the brands’ slogan and began to ‘think different.’
I believe that it’s about time that Apple and their consumers applied the brands’ slogan and began to ‘think different.’
