Resist!

A century of posters protesting political and social evils and offering alternatives to tyranny

This issue of Lars Müller Publishers and the Museum für Gestaltung’s Poster Collection series, presented in a new design, offers works from the last 100 years that demonstrate the tradition of the poster as a medium for protest and assert its validity and necessity in the present day. Peace appeals, reminders of human rights, calls to protect nature--since the 1920s, posters have proved an effective medium accompanying social and political struggles worldwide. While some posters are meant to shed light and are aimed at reflection, others appeal more strongly to the emotions of their audience. Dystopian images function as a provocation and warning, while utopian messages keep the belief in change alive. The designers of these posters, acting individually or collectively, are united by commitment and an emancipatory attitude as well as the conviction that resistance requires its own aesthetic to be effective.
Artists and collectives include: Atelier Populaire, Asamblea de Artistas Revolucionarios de Oaxaca, ASARO, Anna Berkenbusch, Chaz Maviyane-Davies, David Tartakover, James Victore, Luba Lukova, Marlena Buczek Smith, Plazm, San Francisco Poster Brigade, Tomi Ungerer.