Hasta La Ideas

Robert Bechtie, 1969

Opening this weekend at the Oakland Museum of California, All of Us or None is an exhibition of posters that have been used in campaigns for social issues from the 1960s to the present day…

OMCA recently acquired the renowned All Of Us or None poster collection which was started by Free Speech Movement activist Michael Rossman in 1977 to document posters of modern, progressive movements in the US. Rossman, who died in 2008, created an archive of over 24,000 posters amassed over some 30 years (see the AOUON site and mrossman.org).

The above poster by artist Robert Bechtie was, according to the account on the OMCA Collections site, “part of the SFSU student strike committee media campaign, and wryly comments on the situation facing students returning for their second semester of the 1968-1969 school year. The artist, then early in his career as an art instructor, went on to become a well-known printmaker and painter.”

Stealworks/John Yates, 1993

A companion exhibition to the Museum’s The 1968 Exhibit, All of Us or None is curated by collection archivist Lincoln Cushing and features 68 original political posters, in addition to a display of digitally printed posters collaged on the gallery walls. An accompanying catalogue is also available from Heyday Press.

East Bay Media, 1971

The posters address a wide range of social issues, including access to healthcare, education reform, environmental activism, and cultural identity. Contributions by well-known artists such as Malaquías Montoya, Rupert Garcia, Nancy Hom, Juan Fuentes, and Jos Sances are shown alongside examples by less recognised and anonymous artists.

Sätty/Wilfred Podreich, 1968

Influential collective workshops such as the Royal Chicano Air Force, Inkworks Press, La Raza Graphics, Japantown Art and Media, and Mission Graphica are also represented.

Unknown artist, 1970

68 posters are also featured in a sister exhibition at Oakland International Airport, until May 4. More details on both exhibitions at museumca.org.

Northern California Alliance, 1978

Jay Belloli, 1970

CR in Print

Thanks for visiting the CR website, but if you are not also reading CR in print you’re missing out. Our April issue has a cover by Neville Brody and a fantastic ten-page feature on Fuse, Brody’s publication that did so much to foster typographic experimentation in the 90s and beyond. We also have features on charity advertising and new Pentagram partner Marina Willer. Rick Poynor reviews the Electric Information Age and Adrian Shaughnessy meets the CEO of controversial crowdsourcing site 99designs. All this plus the most beautiful train tickets you ever saw and a wonderful behind-the-scenes look at Thunderbirds in our Monograph supplement

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