Ravenous Creative is the cultural and creative home of Ricardo Rodríguez. Weaving an unapologetically revolutionary, abolitionist, and generalist worldview, RVNSC cultivates multi-disciplinary creations for networks of cause-driven organizations.
Ravenous Creative is the cultural and creative home of Ricardo Rodríguez. Weaving an unapologetically revolutionary, abolitionist, and generalist worldview, RVNSC cultivates multi-disciplinary creations for networks of cause-driven organizations.
In 2018, I joined the Poor People's Campaign as a cultural organizer. Since then, I have supported the Poor People's Campaign's network in visual design and art builds, finding new ways to illustrate the interlocking injustices of poverty, systemic racism, ecological devastation, war economy, and false moral narrative that the campaign seeks to dismantle.
The first Poor People's Campaign started in 1968, as Martin Luther King's last campaign before he was assassinated.
Printing and visual imagery was always a key strategy in movement history. The famous photographs of protests were visual strategy manifested – knowing where cameras are watching, we position ourselves accordingly. Knowing where photographers will be available, we be ready to be loud. Cultural actions have been consistent in the development of the movement. A rich history of theomusicology and cultural organizing root the Poor People's Campaign in U.S. movement history. From songs to visual design, deep research was pulled to bring 1968 to 2018.
Sociologist Charles Tilly usefully states a social movement campaign has three main components: claims, repertoire, and WUNC. Claims are our demands, analysis, research, our theory. Repertoire means repeated actions organizations and people take, such as marches, protest, sit-ins, etc. WUNC means one of the most important pieces for visual culture: Expressions of Worthiness, Unity, Numbers, and Commitment. It's there that visual culture situates itself.
Visual prepping was necessary to be able to print across various medias.
Skills like lettering have been used consistently, along with clean illustrations for print and web. Imagining actions as their own sculptural elements, visual artists view an action as a three-dimensional film. In motion, alive, where anyone can view the action in the "round".
Every part was intentional, to be able to have large, medium, and small designs for accessibility. Everyone would be able to have a campaign piece to carry and march with in their own ability. Through visual design, we are able to make irresistible designs that honor all directions that people can experience a message.
Ravenous Creative is the cultural and creative home of Ricardo Rodríguez. Weaving an unapologetically revolutionary, abolitionist, and generalist worldview, RVNSC cultivates multi-disciplinary creations for networks of cause-driven organizations.
Ravenous Creative is the cultural and creative home of Ricardo Rodríguez. Weaving an unapologetically revolutionary, abolitionist, and generalist worldview, RVNSC cultivates multi-disciplinary creations for networks of cause-driven organizations.