Evolution Of Modern German Posters On Display
Moderne Deutsche Plakate: 1890-1933, being held at the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto in Higashiyama Ward, Kyoto, is featuring about 180 exhibits, including posters, magazines and related items.
The event, the first illustrating the development of German graphics and posters, is being organized by the museum, The Yomiuri Shimbun, Osaka, and YTV.
According to the exhibition, much of today's poster art is modeled on German posters of the time, when the subject matter expanded from such conventional topics as exhibitions to include theater, cinema and travel. The use of offset printing and photography also began, leading to new avenues of expression.
The exhibits are divided into five chapters: The first four illustrate how the German poster developed, while the final section looks at how they were used in Japan.
The exhibition opens with elegant painting-like posters that recall the works of Toulouse-Lautrec and such British painters as Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones.
Meanwhile, the German artists forged their own path with so-called objective posters that were artistic, but simple and direct enough to instantly convey messages through three basic elements: drawing, background and text.
While the German poster developed in combination with commercial activities, enthusiastic collectors emerged to help expand the popularity of the graphic art.
The exhibition also gives viewers a chance to see how the poster has been an effective medium for war and political propaganda.
The exhibition will run until March 30, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed Mondays. Admission is 1,300 yen for adults, 1,000 yen for university students and 600 yen for high school students. Free for younger children. Visit www.momak.go.jp/English/ for more information.
March 12, 2008
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