In response to alarming statistics from the CDC, revealing that nearly 841,000 people have succumbed to drug overdoses since 1999, with opioids implicated in over 70% of deaths in 2019, I embarked on a project to unveil the faces behind this crisis. Purdue Pharmaceuticals and the Sackler family, owners of the company, emerged as key players who profited significantly, becoming one of the wealthiest families in the nation.

Building a Character
Numerous states filed class action lawsuits against Purdue Pharmaceuticals and the Sacklers, exposing egregious actions driven solely by a pursuit of maximum profit, with no regard for human life. This stark reality fueled my concept for the project – the creation of a symbolic monster, dressed as a midcentury ice cream man but distributing pills instead of innocent treats. The character, visually sinister, aimed to embody the malevolence outlined in the lawsuits.

The resulting images, featuring me adorned with makeup and beans representing pills, were strategically overlaid with damning quotes from the lawsuits. This concept served as the foundation for impactful posters designed to be disseminated across city centers, shedding light on Purdue Pharmaceuticals and the Sackler family, bringing them out of the shadows and into public awareness.