Can Graphic Design Save Your Life? Exhibition at Wellcome Collection

The Wellcome Collection in London presents 'Can Graphic Design Save Your Life?', a curated exhibition featuring 200 objects that explore the role of graphic design in medical and health communication worldwide. Curated by Lucienne Roberts, Rebecca Wright, and Shamita Sharmacharja, the show examines how design informs, educates, and saves lives, while also being used to advertise and sell pharmaceutical products. It highlights contradictions between ethical ideals and marketing logic in healthcare communication. The exhibition opens with flags of the Red Cross, Red Crescent, and Red Crystal, symbols of neutrality and safety in conflict zones. A section on anti-smoking campaigns includes stamps from various countries and cigarette packages with health warnings. Notably, a 2012 Australian government initiative that mandated a muddy brown-green color for cigarette packaging helped over 100,000 people quit smoking within three years. Other highlights include first-aid signage, color-coded hospital schemes for children, educational books, and comics about safe sex. A focus on Bayer showcases early branding strategies, from a 1930s illuminated sign at their headquarters to logos stamped on pills. The exhibition runs until January 14, 2018.