When I think of Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 classic film The Shining I recall certain images. Danny’s Big Wheel down the hallway. A labyrinth in the snow. Being introduced to Scatman Crothers. Jack’s axe through the door, his grin. The frothing, “Here’s Johnny”!
Illustrator Oliver Barrett latest poster for Mutant recreates the axe through the bathroom door as a character portrait. Jack’s head split by his own axe. The gleeful derangement of “Here’s Johnny!” is echoed in Barrett’s composition. Jack’s axe is destroying his own face, but also Barrett’s poster. The wholesome family man image Jack was trying to make real, shattered.
‘The Shining’ by Oliver Barrett
