The use of unpronouncable typographic symbols in place of profanity first appeared in early 20th century comic strips. There's something bizarre about choosing to use a swear word but then censoring it. To profane or not to profane, that is the question.

The symbolic gesture leaves the exact word up for interpretation by the viewer. One could argue that prompting the mind to fill in the blank may provoke more vulgar imagination than just using the word outright. It's a paradoxical workaround to early 20th century censorship, and the idea behind this poster.

Referencing the notion of the “four-letter word,” every symbol, spatial arrangement, and combination is used in sets of four throughout this structure of overlapping grawlixes.

18x24in (46x61cm)