Previous studies show that the process of reproduction of nationalism through the reconstruction of national history and national identity is no longer always the elite’s initiation. Democratization and globalization also provide space for people to re-interpret the ideal picture of Indonesia. The learning tradition of contemporary society in general is an interesting fundamental issue. Global connectivity and the advancement of information technology have also created new habits in acquiring knowledge. As a result, contemporary society is increasingly ignorant of history and alienated from its cultural roots. This research intends to examine the extent to which visual communication design can increase public literacy, especially about the state efforts in reconstructing national history and Indonesian identity through the cultural-historical narrative of Spice Route. In line with President Joko Widodo’s vision to position Indonesia as the global maritime fulcrum in 2045, the legacy of the spice trade route, which is also an intercultural exchange route, will be proposed by the government of Indonesia as a World Cultural Heritage to UNESCO. The methods used in this qualitative study are auto-ethnography, participant-observation, in-depth interviews, and visual communication design methods through analysis of form-content-context, both descriptive and reflective. Through the findings, visual communication design has great potentials in increasing public knowledge on Spice Route narrative, especially in encouraging curiosity and willingness to learn more about Indonesian history and cultures.

No abstract

Delivering a story through visual comic characters can make it easier for readers to understand the contents and distinguish one character from another. Not only as a distinguishing element, but visualization of comic characters can represent areas where the visual is commonly used and found. In the comic titled Boku No Hero Academia (BNHA) found elements and terms that are commonly found in comics and American superhero characters in general, one of them through the All Might character. Through qualitative research methods, with data collection techniques through observation, literature, and internet studies, this paper aims to examine how the characters of All Might represent American superheroes through his visuals.

ABSTRACT

Poster is a communications media that are generally in a large enough format with persuasive and informative messages, pasted on the walls on the roadside and residential alleys. Posters can be so effective in conveying the message as a poster is close to the heart of society. The effectiveness of posters in conveying the message can be seen in the winning poster design of the Smiling Poster Contest 2010. The purpose of this article is to see the effectiveness of communication and poster design in a persuasive smile. A smiling poster is intended to foster and to remind the meaning of a smile in socializing. Concern of poster designers were divided into concern for social problems that occur in society and concern in the development of poster design creativity. Technical and strategic skills are needed by designers of the poster. Since poster design works well, it will eventually become a communicative medium in conveying social messages, becomes the driving motivation in positive, open, creative and inspiring thinking.