By Sarah Bussmann
The subject of this poster is Cho Seung-youn, also known as WOODZ. It portrays the singer with lyrics from his song “NOID,” a song about pushing back from toxicity in your life. Using Photoshop, I added crayon, folded paper textures and gradient maps to create the poster. These elements bring youthfulness and whimsy to the piece. The typeset conveys the contemptuous tone of the lyrics. This, combined with the image of Seung-youn reclining backward, peering over his sunglasses with a tiresome facial expression, allows the viewer to feel the disdain the lyric “You’re so boring” is sung with, even if they’ve never heard the song.
Sonically, “NOID,” does not match the dour tone of the lyrics. A lot of my work is created with this same dichotomy. I love the contrast of a childlike aesthetic with adult subject matter. I enjoy pushing the limits with my color palette, teetering on the edge of vibrant and overwhelming. Neon colors are my favorite.
Seung-youn sings about being labeled as “boring” for locking himself away from the world. In my life, I’ve become familiar with the feeling of being trapped in my past with people and places that aren’t good for me. As someone who has dealt with toxic friends and dysfunctional family life, I know what it’s like to watch myself become a recluse. It inspires me to accept myself and not worry about the perception of others. It’s a feeling of letting the toxicity in my life bounce right off of me. As the song says “Let me be a noid,” I know that even if I don’t feel like a person, I’m taking the space I need to heal without the weight of others’ expectations.
