Shop Tear gas grenade, on a gear notebook

About the Design

This stark image from Propaganda Dept. is a satirical take on a tear gas canister, set against a blood-red background that demands immediate attention. The canister, marked with the Propaganda Dept. emblem, is both a symbol of authority's response to dissent and a product commodifying repression, as suggested by the tagline "Controlling riots since..." The phrase "Lots of tears formula," sardonically remarks on the pain inflicted by the canister's contents, while "Fair tested on humans, approved by..." completes the dark jest, critiquing the casual brutality sanctioned by faceless entities.

The artwork employs a limited color palette, a hallmark of vintage propaganda, with the use of black to outline and detail the canister, contrasting sharply with the red background and white text. The monochromatic canister symbolizes the binary of power, while the red evokes a sense of emergency and violence. The choice of a utilitarian object, typically associated with law enforcement, recontextualized as a consumer good, creates a chilling commentary on societal control mechanisms, echoing dystopian themes of dehumanization and the normalization of force.