Ringmaster of Death

To Death with a Smile

Poster Design / Illustration

The ringmaster of a circus controls the whole show, creating excitement and wonder under the big top...even after death. This entry for the Mexican Museum of Design’s 2019 international poster competition - To Death With a Smile - invites participants to examine death from a personal, cultural or emotional perspective in a celebratory visual that overcomes negative and fearful connotations. After extensive research exploring turn-of-the-century prints, this illustration incorporates the style and textures of a vintage circus aesthetic. The death-defying poster was named one of three hundred finalists out of over five thousand international entries.