Posted by Eric Teng on September 22 at 6:20 PM
While scanning the posters from the big names (Vignelli, Beirut, Scher, etc.) I happen to come across a small hand painted litho from one of my favorite illustrators, Maira Kalman. The design was strikingly simple: A bright red poster with a royal crown painted at the top and the words "Keep Calm and Carry On" painted in big white letters underneath.
Even though I couldn't afford the auction price, I was intrigued to do find out more about the message and it's origins. After a little digging, I found out that it was a propaganda poster that was created in 1939. Great Britain was on the verge of a war with Germany, and these posters were to be displayed throughout the country. It was a message of assurance from King George VI to his people that all capable measures to defend the country were being taken. For some reason, the poster was never officially issued and the general public never saw this until some 50 years later when it was found inside an old pile of books brought from an auction.
This is why I love it: it gives me comfort, and makes me smile everytime I see it. Besides the simple design, it's retro-kitsch appeal, and the fact that Maira Kalman ingeniously re-created a painted version of this propaganda poster, my favorite thing about it is its relevance today. Definitely the right frame of mind to be in given the recent turmoil on Wall Street.
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1 Comment so far...
As a huge fan of propaganda art and the designers who have created it throughout history, reading this post was akin to unearthing a rare gemstone to me. What a simple, moving rendering of such a poignant (and, as you remark, still oh-so-relevant) message.
Posted by Atherton Bartelby on September 22 at 9:02 PM