After Dark: Propaganda and Persuasion

Justice for Our Lives and Wheatpasting 101 With Oree Originol 

What is the role of propaganda in social activism? Meet with Justice for Our Lives artist Oree Originol for wheatpasting demonstrations and introductions to his portrait series of individuals from marginalized communities who lost their lives to police violence. You can then practice your wheatpasting skills on a community message wall following each presentation.

Engineering Consent: Propaganda and the Legacy of Edward Bernays With Ed Timke

The word propaganda often conjures dark images of manipulation and control through media and charismatic communication. Get to know the definitions of propaganda and one of its early proponents, Edward Bernays, who is known as the father of modern public relations. Dr. Timke will discuss Bernays’ ideas, debates about propaganda’s limits, and exemplars of propaganda past and present, leaving you questioning the fine line between propaganda and persuasion.

Stop Telling Women to Smile With Tatyana Fazlalizadeh

Stop Telling Women to Smile is an international art series by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh. The work attempts to address gender-based street harassment by placing drawn portraits of women, composed with captions that speak directly to offenders, outside in public spaces. Hear the artist discuss her work and share insights on how public art can propel social activism.

The Billboard Liberation Front With John Law

As one of the earliest progenitors of culture jamming, or subversive media mashups, the Billboard Liberation Front “improved” outdoor advertising for 34 years before retiring in 2012. Offering “a broad range of black-bag operations and cultural jam services,” the BLF influenced media hacking and encouraged citizens to speak back to the multimillion dollar advertising campaigns intent on forming our opinions and influencing our choices.

Under a Minute With Kathleen Maguire

Generally clocking in at under a minute, presidential campaign ads offer fascinating, microcosmic glimpses into the ecology of an election. Invstigate their four major modes of persuasion with Exploratorium cineaste Kathleen Maguire, who’ll screen entertaining and well-made examples drawn from the entire history of televised presidential campaign ads showcasing "the more things change, the more they stay the same."