“The study of visual form and language is limited if it does not consider the forces of cultural production, which involve a set of social relations between producer and audience.” —Andrew Howard, “There is Such a Thing as Society”, EYE magazine 1.
The rampant spread of the HIV/AIDS virus over the past 29 years has created the most significant global public health crisis in modern history. Despite the complexity and scale of the epidemic, there is still a lack of worldwide strategies to lead AIDS education. AIDS education in many countries is still shouldered, to a great extent, by government agencies and grassroots organizations led by community activists who are often motivated local citizens.
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| FINLAND, 2004 Design: Jyri Konttinen |
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| AUSTRALIA, 1992 Painting: Bronwyn Bancroft |
Ever since the AIDS epidemic struck, the responsibility of educating the world’s public has gained dramatically in significance. In many countries, the poster as a medium of information was unknown before the emergence and identification of the HIV virus. With a disease involving sexuality and sexual behavior, and therefore social and moral issues deeply rooted in culture and tradition, messages to raise awareness and encourage preventative behavior have varied significantly to best serve the intended audience. The poster has played a special role in promoting AIDS awareness and safe sex education across cultures—different aims, messages, visual metaphors, and strategies have strongly influenced the content and design of AIDS posters. These messages can successfully reach specific targeted groups because the poster as a medium is cheap and easy to produce locally.
Regardless of cultural differences, AIDS posters are meaningful to viewers because they frequently draw on images from popular culture and express the living habits of people, which can vary in approach and style. As such, the messages in these posters can illuminate how public health educators and activists see themselves and their audiences, and how they conceptualize disease and define ‘normal’ behavior within each given culture.
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| SOUTH KOREA, 1987 Design:Young Woo Yu |
Graphic Intervention: 25 Years of International AIDS Awareness Posters 1985–2010 draws upon James Lapides’ extensive archive of international AIDS Awareness posters along with posters generously donated to Massachusetts College of Art and Design. A cohesive selection of 153 posters presents an insightful overview of diverse visual strategies employed by many different countries working within their own distinctive.
Here we picked for you randomly 30 of those posters. Enjoy!
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| AUSTRIA, 1995 Photo: Claudio Alessandri Design. Momix dancers: Erin Elliott, Solveig Olsen, Terry Pexton, Brian Sanders, courtesy of Riezouw Associates, LTD |
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| CANADA, 2004 Advertising Agency: MARKETEL, Creative Team: Gilles Dusablon, Linda Dawe, Stephane Gaulin |
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| CANADA, 2007 Design: Andrew Lewis |
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| CANADA, DATE UNKNOWN Anon |
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| CHINA, 2007 Design: Fang Chen |
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| CUBA, 2006 Design: Idania/Del Rio |
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| FRANCE, 1996 Design: Delphine Chanet |
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| FRANCE, 2007 Illustration: Skwak |
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| INDIA 1995, Design: S. Gosh |
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| INDIA, 1995 Design: Ramesh Sukumar |
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| ISRAEL, 1992-1993 Artist: Mi’raj Faris, Republic of Iraq, Ministry of Health, Health Education Section |
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| ISRAEL, 1993 Design: Yossi Lemel, Photography: G. Korisky |
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| ITALY, 1991 Concept and Photography: Oliviero Toscani |
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| ITALY, 1993 Concept and Photography: Oliviero Toscani |
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| MEXICO, 2007 Design: Eduardo Barrera, UNICEF |
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| MOROCCO, 2005 Anon, ALCA Association de lutte contre le sida |
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| NEW ZEALAND, 1994 Photo: Albert Sword |
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| PORTUGAL, 2009 Design: Sara Gama |
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| PORTUGAL, 1998 Advertising Agency: Oglivy & Mather Portugal, Models: cia. da Gente, Photography: Atelier da Ilusão/ House of the image, |
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| SOUTH KOREA, 1989 Design: Myung Kwang Kwon |
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| SOUTH KOREA, 1989 Design:Kye-soo Myung |
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| THE NETHERLANDS, 1993 Design: Anton Beeke |
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| TURKEY, 1995 Design: Bülent Erkmen; Photo: Tülin Altilar |
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| UK, 1995 Anon, British Deaf Association/AIDS Ahead |
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| USA, 1988-1990 Design: Steff Geissbuhler |
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| USA, 1990 Design: Cedomir Kostovic |
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| USA, 1994 Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi |
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| SWITZERLAND, 2002 Agency: crDDB Basel, Art Direction: Michael Oswald, Design: Michael Oswald, Marc Rutishauser, Photography: Harry Burst |
Schedule
Massachusetts College of Art and Design presents:
GRAPHIC INTERVENTION:
25 Years of International AIDS Awareness Posters 1985–2010
Curated by Elizabeth Resnick and Javier Cortés from the collection of James Lapides, International Poster Gallery, Boston and Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Boston, MA
September 13–December 4, 2010
Art Center College of Design
Pasadena, CA
February 25–April 24, 2011
Art Directors Club
New York, NY
June 7–July 29, 2011
York College of Pennsylvania
York, PA
August 25–September 22, 2011
Museum of Design Atlanta, MODA
Atlanta, GA
October 1–January 1, 2012
Edinboro University Pennsylvania
Edinboro, PA
February 1–22, 2012
Wolfsonian Museum in Miami Beach
May 11 – 9 September 2012
University of Central Michigan
October-November 2012
The exhibition is sponsored by International Poster Gallery, Korn Design, Sappi Paper, pixelslam, AIGA Boston. A 96-page full color catalog will be available for sale at the events and on the website: www.graphicintervention.org
View more: The Graphic Intervention: 25 Years of Aids Awareness Posters
