Happiness is a Warm Club
Historic protest poster
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Commentary courtesty of Kelsey Lansang
- Bright, garish red background symbolizes violence, blood, and warmth.
- Hand-lettered typography suggests a friendliness and playfulness, but the outline of “Happiness” gives an almost deranged feeling from the reverberation of the letters. There is significance in “Happiness” being the key word. There is emphasis but also the suggestion a false happiness.
- This is reinforced by the slight smirk on the officers face.
- The officer is looking off in the distance, presumably at a human target, but is also looking at the club. The shape of the club being an indistinct, simple phallic shape may also allude to concepts of hyper-masculinity and a boys club common to police culture.