Flag of Goth
SOFTWARE USED:
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP, ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR, ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS
ABOUT
In my third year of university, I was tasked with creating a "flag to welcome" any group of people of my choosing. Having been part of alternative subcultures for many years, I chose to design the Flag of Goth.
I explored several directions before settling on this concept. The flag’s central symbolism represents a solar eclipse, signifying the acceptance of one’s inner darkness and the idea of letting it surface. Its unusual, asymmetrical shape reflects the expressive and non-conformist fashion typical within the goth subculture.
To push the concept further and emphasize the theme of non-conformity, I decided to burn the flag. I animated the burning process using After Effects, though I also filmed an attempt to burn the physical flag I had created (with admittedly less polished video quality). I then reinterpreted this act of burning as a ceremonial celebration of being goth—a ritual. As part of this imagined ceremony, attendees would receive a scroll and a necklace containing ashes from the flag, symbolizing initiation and belonging within the subculture.