Just Seeds: Blog: REVIEW: Prestel Poster Book Series
Heather David & Sherry Buchanan (Prestel, 2009)
These are first and foremost a picture book. Each contains an introduction to the history of the production of political posters and propaganda in every country, but no more than a dozen pages of the preview. This series addresses a broad audience, using the novelty of the poster of "totalitarian regimes and strange."That said, each has its advantages and unique value, and most are worthwhile books for those interested in the production of culture in political regimes in their first attempt to challenge capitalist hegemony (for better or for worse).
While all four books are designed and organized the same way, I'll take each in isolation. First, China.I've never been a big fan of Chinese political posters aesthetically, especially the socialist realism of the heroic late 50s during the Cultural Revolution. What's more interesting to me is the extent of production. In 1959, two million copies of "Long live Chairman Mao" poster were printed and in a period of fifteen years, 1951-1966, three major publishers printed poster about 3,000 different models, with A total number of copies from approximately 85 million!
In a state-run economy like China, where the state controls the means of production information, a poster can move from concept to printed page ten, the creation of some large retailers Instant printed propaganda support state policy. In the 1950s, when television was barely cracked the country, was the direct leverage of ideological control. In addition to this, many posters were actually sold, so that the Chinese government created a propaganda machine for self-financing! I would have liked to see more info on this info (and more can be found, esp. Cushing, Lincoln and Ann Tompkins).
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