Posters

The poster has become part of our urban environment where images compete in a marketplace for attention. From the beginning, this visual competition has informed the design of posters. No matter how artistic a poster might be, if it doesn't grab our attention in the street and communicate instantly, it cannot be said to be successful.

The origins of the poster can be traced back to the early typographical notices and announcements that began to appear on walls in European towns shortly after the invention of the printing press c.1440. Various developments in printing processes, especially the invention of chromolithography in 1827, which enabled colour printing, gave impetus to the design and production of posters for a wide variety of purposes. Initially these were advertisements for popular entertainments like the circus and music hall. The techniques and designs were relatively crude, but effective.

The artistic potential of the poster became apparent in mid-19th century France, when the visual punch of the circus poster was fused with the decorative sophistication of the European art tradition, and the strong flat colours of recently imported Japanese prints, which were so influential on artists of the day. During the 20th century many avant garde artists - from Dada-ists to Constructivists to Situationists - were drawn to the 'visibility' and directness of the poster. Their innovative and often provocative graphic thinking (the visual 'shock-tactic', for instance) would in turn influence commercial artists, for whom the poster had become perhaps the most glamorous aspect of graphic design.

Although television has to some extent usurped the poster in its role as 'public persuader', governments have long been aware of the power of the visual message in the everyday lives of citizens. Sometimes, as in totalitarian regimes, the motive behind the imagery is nakedly coercive or repressive. But perhaps the common official use of the poster in the 20th century has been during war time, when posters were used to install patriotism and confidence in the war effort and to elicit hatred and fear of the enemy.

Since the 1960s, the poster has become a favourite visual medium of the counter-culture and youth culture generally. Frequently associated with protest movements and the rock music scene, these posters often valued anonymous do-it-yourself grunginess over graphic sophistication. (Although trend-spotting graphic designers have been quick to incorporate this look into their designs, if they wanted to appeal to a youth market.)

We have selected posters from the New Zealand context, mainly from over the past half century or so. They show many diverse uses, and artists and designers from different backgrounds. You might find it interesting to think of these images in terms of the street. Which ones would turn your head? Which designs treat typography as a design element as opposed to mere words that have to be 'fitted around', or tacked on to an image?

Barnett, Gerald. Posters. Discover: Te Kohanga Taonga, updated June 29 2002. URL: http://discover.natlib.govt.nz