Welcome to the Cuban Posters blog which highlights the best designs from the revolution, including silkscreen movie posters, cultural and political prints and bright colourful designs from the golden period of Cuban history
Monday, 7 April 2008
Cubaanse Affiches
Cubaanse Affiches (Cuban Posters) is a neat little book issued by the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam in 1971 to accompany its exhibition of posters. This is a very comprehensive and colourful book for what must have been a superb event. The text is in English and Dutch and the quality of posters is excellent. A range of very rare examples are included including the posters documenting the attempts to harvest a record crop of sugar.
I have an original of the "Black Power" that you can see in the book at the bottom right corner. I love that poster but I love more the story of how I got it. I was visiting Cuba and we went to OSPAAAL just to see their exhibition of posters. I fall in love with taht poster (at the time I have no clue what was it related to I just loved the image) but for some reason I couldn't buy a reproduction, I don't remember if their shop was close or what.
But one of my friends was staying longer and she wanted to go back there, so I asked her to buy me a reproduction of that poster.
When we met again, she handed me an original. Apparently they run out of reproductions to sell, and they offer her an original instead...
The poster is now framed in my house in Buenos Aires. I am living in the US and several times I thought about bringing it here, but so far is still in Argentina :)
This archive of original Cuban posters is the collection of the Dulwich Poster Gallery in East Dulwich, London and is the result of 10 years of collecting Cuban film and political posters. All the posters featured in this blog are part of the gallery's collection. They were acquired from dealers, traders and individuals in Cuba, the US, Canada and the UK. We are always on the lookout for posters to acquire. If you would like to discuss selling individual posters or a collection please email me for an honest chat.
To contact me either email me or call me on +44 742 961 1696.
Poster Producers
ICAIC The Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematográfico is the Cuban film institute. Formed soon after the revolution in 1959 it aims to promote the medium of film through a range of diverse activities including film and television production. The ICAIC printed the majority of its posters as silkscreens in 20x30 inch format. These posters were mounted in permanent display units across Cuba.
OSPAAAL The Organisation for Solidarity with the People of Africa, Asia and Latin America was founded soon after the Tricontinental Conference of 1966. It aims to bring attention to world issues and is anti-imperialist and generally socialist in focus. It publishes the Tricontinental journal. The majority of OSPAAAL posters are printed in offset, with no fixed size. The posters were distributed with Tricontinental.
COR The Comisión de Orientación Revolucionaria is a key Cuban agency designed to promote the ideals of the revolution. Its poster output is varied and sporadic.
Casa de las Americas Casa de las Americas deals with the promotion and development of the arts and cultural activities in Cuba. Its poster output is varied but often dynamic and colourful.
1 comment:
I have an original of the "Black Power" that you can see in the book at the bottom right corner. I love that poster but I love more the story of how I got it. I was visiting Cuba and we went to OSPAAAL just to see their exhibition of posters. I fall in love with taht poster (at the time I have no clue what was it related to I just loved the image) but for some reason I couldn't buy a reproduction, I don't remember if their shop was close or what.
But one of my friends was staying longer and she wanted to go back there, so I asked her to buy me a reproduction of that poster.
When we met again, she handed me an original. Apparently they run out of reproductions to sell, and they offer her an original instead...
The poster is now framed in my house in Buenos Aires. I am living in the US and several times I thought about bringing it here, but so far is still in Argentina :)
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