The contentious history of that peace-promoting “Coexist” logo

It’s sad how something that was designed to foster mutual understanding and good will among all people has instead become the subject of litigation and rancor. The infamous “Coexist” logo, with each letter designed to look like an icon representing a different religion or ideology, has become a staple of bumper stickers across America, joining the ranks of such classic phrases as “Baby On Board” and “How’s My Driving? Call 1-800-Eat-Shit.” The meaning of the sanctimonious sticker is obvious at a glance, but where did “Coexist” come from? The team at Vox traced it back to a Polish graphic designer named Piotr Mlodozeniec, who isn’t thrilled about what’s become of his creation. Mlodozeniec tells his story in a five-minute mini-documentary entitled “The Big Fight Over Coexist.” The logo, he explains, was originally created for a competition at a Jerusalem art museum in the year 2000. The artist’s version replaced only three letters, the C, the X, and the T. A more cluttered version, with every letter transformed into an icon, was done later by others. “The better is the enemy of the good,” Mlodozeniec laments.