life of guangzhou

Jointly organized by Redtory Art and Design Factory and Cheung Kong School of Art & Design, "The Pictorial Modernism" Poster Exhibition opened in E7 Gallery, Redtory, on February 18. Professor Wang Shouzhi attended the grand opening.

The exhibits themselves are selected from Professor Wang Shouzhi's private collection. Mostly created in the mid 20th century, the posters are in the style of "Pictorial Modernism." This, as a graphic design movement, first appeared in the 1930s in Germany and became very popular during and after World War II. Among the exhibits some are originals and others are reproductions based on original plates from the US. Spanning a period from the 1920s to the 1970s, the posters on view are representative of the golden age of Western poster design, among which are Coca-Cola posters produced in the first few years after World War II. These, as well as many other branded and political posters, reflect the ideology and society of the time, expressed in graphic design.

"I Want You For U.S. Army," An American Recruitment Advertisement, 1917

Quite a few classic posters were designed by famous artists such as illustrator Charles Loupot, Art Nouveau artist Alfonso Mucha, painter Kerne Erickson, Russian constructivist artist Gustav Klutsis, pre-Soviet Artist Group Kukryiniksyi, illustrator James Montgomery Flagg, automotive artist George Ham and many more. All of the artists have developed their unique artistic style and created popular and impressive poster, utilizing various techniques.

"JOB Rolling Papers," Art Nouveau, about 1898

The posters come from America, the Soviet Union, Britain, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, Cuba, Monaco and other countries. The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see works from all these countries publicly exhibited in. "The Pictorial Modernism" Poster Exhibition will be a great occasion for people in China to gain a glimpse at the modern development of western posters.

When: February 18 – March 31, 2012
Where: E7 Gallery, Redtory 广州红专厂E7
free of charge