Propaganda
Updates
August 12, 2005
maopost.com Vintage Chinese Propaganda Posters, under Chinese Propaganda (via)
I've collected a fair number of links concering Propaganda. I love me some propaganda art. I find it a wonderful medium.
British Propaganda from WWII
Posted originally 1/5/05. This site gives some interesting background on Propaganda, and the insights we can gleam from these pieces of art. A telling sentence that nicely illustrates what propaganda does is:
The images themselves provide a valuable social and, to a lesser extent, also artistic commentary on life ...
The posters here are also categorized nicely into seven key themes.
I find that this poster takes me aback. I think I really like it, or really hate it. I can't determine. It's a very brutual and stark image and message, but given the times, maybe appropriate.
The graphical elements and design of this poster are top notch.
Anti-Japanese Propaganda War Posters
These Anti-Japanese War Posters aren't top-notch in my opinion. The overall composition of the posters are weak, and the messaging isn't all that direct I feel. The only one I really like is the one about working hard and smashing Tokyo. The illustration of the face there is particularly well done I feel. While this site focuses on the Anti-Japenese Propaganda, they have a decent selection of general War Posters. I mention this because I particularly enjoy this poster. The composition, the coloring, they even have a baby. It's effective.
Soviet Posters
These Soviet Posters are just a gold mine. While the majority of these aren't true propaganda, they're still graphically a ton of fun. Thanks to Libby for pointing me to this fun site. I mean, just look at the Big Head, or Politburo section. I can just picture a long hallway in my house, with these giant posters lining the walls.
Chinese Propaganda Sites 1 and 2
Posted originally 9/3/04. This site, run by Stefan Landsberger, is one of the biggest and best collections of propaganda I've seen. It focuses on Chinese propaganda from 1949 till present day. And man do those Chinese know their propaganda. Their stuff is sublime. It's uplifting, has a strong message, the artistic style is solid... I just can't say enough good things about it.
I mean, look at the section on Visualizing the Future. This is somewhat of an anomoly, as it's Positive Propaganda. This extensive use of Socialist Realism shows 'life as it really is,' but also 'life as it ought to be,' to instruct the viewers in the spirit of Socialism.' And I really like the effect.
There is just so many shining examples of what I like about the Chinese Propaganda. Just go to this site. It's just fun.
The maopost.com Vintage Chinese Posters have some nice pieces in them. They have a TON of posters. Hell, they even have a Mac Widget!
A couple of my favorites are the one that denounces Lin Biao and Confucius. I like the sense of overlooking everything you do in that poster. The sparseness of this woodcut of Chairman Mao is nice in the pure graphical sense I find. But really, any Chairman Mao posters tickle me in some weird way. To me he's like the penultimate propaganda figure, even more so than Che. Another one I like is the messaging on this anti-US poster. The layout is also quite standard for Chinese propaganda, yet powerful I find.
Nazi Propaganda
Posted orignially 3/29/04. This collection gathers Nazi and East German Propaganda together. While it might make some sort of ideological sense, or at the very least, a geographical sense, I find the two odd together.
This site has given me a great quote about propaganda from F. M. Cornford.
"Propaganda is the art of very nearly deceiving one's friends without quite deceiving one's enemies."
I also view it as an attempt to persuade the public to accept the views of its leaders.
In that regard, I think the Nazi propaganda machine was an effective one. They had some patriotic images, uplifting images and messages, financial messages all working to subtly change the publics mind and actions. In the financial message poster especially I find the style and composition of the poster incredibly effective. I mean, seriously, look at it. It evokes a stigmata. Saving money will make you holy is the underlying message here. Nice.
When looking at the military posters you can see the typical "We are so mighty and right" message portrayed. Of course, I find it ruined by the creepy SS, but that's because I'm not a Nazi.
So do you think George Lucas had a copy of this Storm Trooper Poster? Heh. It's defintely creepy, as in it's bad art, bad face, bad composition, yet remids me so much of Hoth it's funny.
And then I run across this poster and I'm reminded of an Absolut Ad. I still dig the composition here, the grand scale of the messaging.
And I just simply want this poster. I love almost everything about it, excepting maybe the Swastika. But the type, the typography, the print, the composition, all brilliant.
Soviet Posters
Posted Originally 2/10/2004. These Soviet Posters, from the Revolution Era, are defintely great.
Lenin takes responsibility for creating the first truly modern propaganda machine, from postage stamps and Mayday parades to monumental sculptures. Perhaps its most colorful, dramatic and original form was the poster.
I'm not sure I agree with that, but he did create some good stuff.
This site is great as it outlines six periods of Great Soviet Propaganda.
- The Bolshevik Era (1917-1921)
- The New Economic Policy (1921-1927)
- The First and Second Five Year Plans (1928-1937)
- The Great Patriotic War (1939 - 1945)
- The Cold War (1946 - 1984)
Saigon Poster ARt Posted Orignally 3/12/2003. These posters are unique because they're hand-painted posters found all over Ho Chi MInh City.
Powers of Persuasion
Posted Originally 2/25/2003. This World War II collection of Posters, called Powers of Persuasion is an online exhibit from the National Archives, showcasing the American Wartime Propaganda Machine. In this instance, it focuses on Women in the War.