These Artists Designed Beautiful Condom Wrappers To Promote Safe Sex

    The #LustForLife campaign wants to get young people talking about safer sex and HIV prevention, one beautiful condom wrapper at a time.

    Alana Massey
    by Alana Massey

    BuzzFeed Staff

    "Lust for Life" is a campaign spearheaded by One Condoms to spark meaningful conversations about condom use in US communities most affected by HIV/AIDS.

    One Condoms

    One Condoms CEO, Davin Wedel, told BuzzFeed, "The mission of our company is to change perceptions about condoms. We want to make them as uncontroversial as toothpaste and seatbelts. We also want to change the boring nature of the condom into something people do want."

    The campaign recruited 22 graffiti and street artists to make art that would inspire safer sex using the familiar symbol of the "Stop" sign.

    Shiro/Lust for Life / Via youtube.com

    The campaign's curator, artist Billi Kid, told BuzzFeed, "This is really a peer to peer campaign using graffiti and street art, which is born in urban communities, and use it to relay messages about HIV/AIDS to those communities."

    A selection of the designs will appear on the wrappers of condoms that will be distributed to clinics, community centers, and other organizations encouraging safe sex in affected communities.

    Shiro/Lust for Life

    The purpose of the designs is to get people talking about HIV/AIDs prevention with art that is relevant and compelling to them. Wedel told BuzzFeed, "The more you can involve people and the more interactions with condoms that they have, then the more likely it is that they'll use them and feel comfortable talking about them."

    Though new infections have declined overall, HIV rates in low-income urban communities in the US have rates similar to countries that UNAIDS have declared HIV epidemics. These artists hope to change that.

    Billi Kid/Lust for Life / Via youtube.com

    Because these graffiti and street artists are already embedded in the communities to which the campaigns speaks, the organizers hope it can affect meaningful change in condom use and in conversations about safe sex. Billi Kid told BuzzFeed, "We've talked the talk and now we need to walk the walk. Let's see what the impact of these condoms can be if we use an urban solution to an urban issue. "

    Some artists integrated the word "stop" into their pieces.

    Etienne Bergot http://A.K.A. The Dude Company

    Others took a more conceptual approach.

    Jennifer Caviola http://A.K.A. Cake

    Each artist brought a unique message to their piece using images intended to resonate with young people.

    ChrisRWK/Lust for Life

    Artists like Chris Stain uses his upbringing in Baltimore as a primary artistic influence.

    Chris Stain/Lust for Life

    While Chris Uphues is known for taking cues from popular culture like Disney and Lisa Frank.

    Chris Uphues/Lust for Life

    This piece from Cope showcases his roots and inspiration in New York City graffiti.

    Cope/Lust for Life

    Joe Iurato's uses a layering technique and illustrations to create texture and form.

    Joe Iurato/Lust for Life

    Portraiture is central to works by Raquel Echanique, as portrayed in her piece.

    Raquel Echanique/Lust for Life

    While Skewville uses a message-focused design to encourage safe sex awareness.

    Skewville/Lust for Life

    To see all of the featured designs or to learn more about the artists and inspiration behind the stop signs, you can read their conversations here.