A few days ago, we received a package from the artist Brian Ponto, who lives and works in Brooklyn. We removed from the package a number of sheets of newsprint, each folded twice in half, the first of which is adorned with "MAY68" in bold, sans-serif caps. Underneath that header is an essay by Carol..
A few days ago, we received a package from the artist Brian Ponto, who lives and works in Brooklyn. We removed from the package a number of sheets of newsprint, each folded twice in half, the first of which is adorned with "MAY68" in bold, sans-serif caps. Underneath that header is an essay by Carol A. Wells, the founder and executive director of the Center for the Study of Political Graphics. It reads:
68 was an explosive, creative and legendary year. Many student activists believed that 1968 was the start of a world wide revolution...Whether protesting the Viet Nam War or domestic repression-and often linking the two-protesters in Chicago, Mexico City, Paris, Prague, Tokyo and many other cities were gassed, clubbed and shot. The death tolls in Mexico City are still disputed. The one thing is not disputed, is the importance of graphics to publicize demands and grievances.
Wells proclaims that "posters are one of the most accessible and democratic art forms," and she praises the ability of an image to effect change. What Ponto had sent to us, we realized, was a series of posters-the work of 13 different artists touching on themes of disenfranchisement and human rights abuses. We're kind of blown away by it all, and we highly recommend that you look at this series and the rest of Ponto's work here.
Share on Facebook
