Faculty Sponsor
Sarah Jantzi
College
Arts and Sciences
Discipline(s)
Art
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Symposium Date
Spring 5-1-2020
Abstract
There are more slaves in the world today than ever before. Trafficking crimes happen everywhere, so my graphic design project, The Perfect Breed, aims to inform the Valparaiso University community of this social issue. The Perfect Breed is designed to feel like a cross between a mainstream fashion magazine and a cattle breeders catalog. Cattle breeders catalogs are a way that livestock owners can sell their animals to the meat industry. By creating a magazine that emulates this format, it mimics the dehumanzing effects of sex trafficking when humans are compared to animals or objects. I am approaching this project from the viewpoint of a graphic designer. The main role of a graphic designer is to create visual concepts to communicate ideas to inform or captivate an audience. I visually manipulate my magazine. At first glance it appears to be your typical fashion magazine but as it is read, viewers discover the darker undertones. My intention is for the viewer to experience shock value when they come to the conclusion that this is not something to brush off and be forgotten about. The familiarity of a magazine illustrates that this industry happens beneath our very nose and is hidden in plain sight. I am using my power as a designer to raise awareness for women who have fallen through the cracks in the sex traffciking industry and to inform the community of the severity of this issue.
Recommended Citation
Pagel, Jordan, "The Perfect Breed" (2020). Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 908.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/cus/908
Biographical Information about Author(s)
Jordan Pagel is a senior Digital Media Arts major with a minor in Communications. In high school she watched her first documentary on human trafficking and ever since she has been researching this topic. She is passionate about raising awareness for those that are forgotten about. After graduation, she plans on continuing to educate others on human trafficking in an attempt to put an end to this social issue.