The Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe presents “Power to the Imagination: Artists, Posters and Politics”
18th Mar. 2011 – 13th Jun. 2011.

Artists’ posters tell the story of protest, commitment to freedom and human rights, the fight for equal rights and tolerance.

The exhibition presents in excess of 180 works by approximately 90 internationally renowned artists and thus offers a fresh and comprehensive overview over protest and opposition movements in the course of the past 60 years.

At the same time it highlights the tensions between utopia, the wish for participation and political history – looking at the newly reviewed protests this subject is highly topical. Artists’ posters tell the story of protest, commitment to freedom and human rights, the fight for equal rights and tolerance.

“Power to Fantasy” was the artist Pierre Soulages’ slogan of support to the students protesting in Paris in May 1968. The Post-War period when Picasso emphazised his support for peace with his doves of peace, was followed by the rebellions of the 60s. A decade later the freedom of minorities was at the centre of attention, and shortly after artists such as Joseph Beuys focussed on the pollution of the environment. By the mid-80s AIDS drew attention to discrimination and exclusion of minorities and equality was pursued by American artists especially, examples are Keith Haring or Jenny Holzer. Globalisation after the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 left its mark on posters by Robert Rauschenberg and others. The history of international protest, illustrated by powerful designs by the great artists of our times is equally the history of art of this time – narrated selectively, yet expressing an astonishing continuity and authenticity.

Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe
Steintorplatz
D 20099 Hamburg
Tel: +49 (0)40 428 134
+49 (0)40 428 134      
service@mkg-hamburg.de
www.mkg-hamburg.de

by Ilaria Rebecchi

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