Behnam Raeesian's 'The Fall of the Guardians' Poster Series

Iranian artist and poster designer Behnam Raeesian, from Sari, Mazandaran Province, has created a new series titled 'The Fall of the Guardians.' The project employs stark Eurocentric imagery to critique figures traditionally associated with protection, faith, justice, authority, and salvation, reimagining them as symbols of silence, control, violence, and collapse. Raeesian, who lives in Iran, draws on his experience of living under political pressure and censorship. The series was sparked by protests against police violence in the United States but aims to address the global collapse of trust in protective institutions. Raeesian deliberately uses Western archetypes—such as a priest, police officer, and judge—to avoid being confined to Iranian or Middle Eastern symbols, arguing that these figures represent universal systems of power that can become coercive. His previous series, 'Conditioned Silence,' dealt with the neutralization of violence. 'The Fall of the Guardians' is still new and not yet fully released, but early reactions have focused on the visual shock of the images. Raeesian hopes the posters will serve as a visual warning for people who feel powerless, reaching audiences both inside and outside the art world.