This poster was created to spark a new conversation in the publishing industry about Chinese book censorship and its impacts on creative freedom in China, the U.S., and around the world; as well as to encourage writers and publishing professionals in Western markets to understand and limit censorship of their works in Chinese translation.

Censorship affects many industries in China. To communicate specifically with and about the publishing industry, we referenced a simple book cover and the iconic black bars of government sanitization combined with a powerful headline to make our message clear. The final work caught the attention of our audience and worked to rally the literary public about this issue.

This poster was displayed and handed out at both the publishing industries largest US trade show, BookExpo America, which included a delegation of more than 500 Chinese publishers, authors and industry professionals, and at a rally for silenced Chinese writers at the New York Public Library to demand an end to China’s repressive censorship laws and the release of the more than 40 authors currently jailed.

The poster was widely shared across social media to advertise the events. Every printed copy at the events were taken by attendees in a show of support.