Representation of the National Identity of Iran in Graphic Design in the Age of Globalization

Communication and integration as increasing among various societies urges the need for more interaction in the world which, finally, results in ''globalization''. Scholars in the field believe that the process of globalization includes cultural convergence and assimilation from one hand, and a sort of divergence and variety on the other hand. Therefore, the challenge existing among the local culture, national identity and the global culture is a subject to further thought which, as a result of reflection approach, manifests itself in the art work. Due to its applied nature and due to its relation to the daily life, graphic designing is a major part of the visual culture. Cultural change, emerging from a long term shift in the visual change, reflects the need for the analysis in the challenge between the national identity and the global culture. This study is an attempt to reveal the place of the Iranian Graphic in the challenge between the national identity and the global culture focusing on the most influencing event, namely, Iran's biennial graphic. The statistical society is the biennial posters of the past ten years (2000-2010) studied through content qualitative analysis method using the reflection approach and the layered semiology technique. The result shows that Iranian Graphic design reflects the national identity more than the global culture.