Graphic design for social "disaster"

Each dramatic event, even regardless of its nature and seriousness, may be perceived as a "disaster", personal or collective, resulting in further and substantial psycho-emotional "disasters". This double level of distress depends on the particular interaction that each individual, or group of individuals, establishes with the event. The disaster, therefore, not only appears attributable to the fact itself, but also to the cultural and emotional dimension of those who, in various ways, interface with that fact. It seems clear, then, that in the perception of emergencies, crisis, etc. communication is central because, as mediation process, can help those who are directly involved in problematic events, presenting them from a better point of view. With this purpose the visual communication, through an articulated repertoire of codes and channels, is pervasive and effective. From poster to the audiovisual product, from print to web, static and dynamic images (photographic and graphic images, such as, drawings, illustrations, infographics, etc.) represent facts into iconic signs and symbolic which, in a social solidarity perspective, convey urgent issues to a wide and culturally very diverse audience. The paper proposes some considerations on the main communications of the social disaster, aimed to shaping the perception and, ultimately, to guide the social behavior linked to it. The main objective is to identify prevalent visual languages of this specific field of communication in order to help shape new theoretical and cultural lines of the design discipline (drawing, graphics, audiovisual, etc.).