Revolutionary Soviet Film Posters

At the vivid intersection of cinematic and graphic design history, this book gathers 250 film posters from 1920s and 1930s Russia to explore a world of innovative, revolutionary aesthetics. Brimming with bold colors, dramatic angles, and eye-catching typography, these startling designs bear witness to the experimental avant-garde of the pre-...

"Russian Revolutionary Posters tells the story of the development of the Soviet poster, from the revolutionary period through to the death of Stalin, revealing the way in which tumultuous events within the Soviet Union were matched by equally dramatic shifts in graphic art and design. Written and designed by David King, one of the world's foremost experts on Soviet art and himself an internationally acclaimed graphic designer, the publication features posters drawn from his unparalleled collection, well known to visitors to Tate Modern in London. The book is arranged chronologically. Captions accompany each poster, explaining the historical and artistic context in which it was produced. Constructivist posters, socialist advertising, film posters of the 1920s, classic photomontage, the heroic posters of the Great Patriotic War, biting political satire and the cult of personality of the Stalin years are all here. The great names of Soviet poster design, including Alexander Rodchenko, El Lissitsky, Gustav Klutsis, Dimitri Moor, Viktor Demi and Nina Vatolina, all feature. However, some of the most arresting posters reproduced were created anonymously or by scarcely known artists whose work will be a revelation to many. King takes us behind the scenes, explaining the process involved in the commissioning of the posters and the key figures who coordinated poster campaigns, providing personal histories of the art directors and creative directors whose vision played such a vital role in soviet poster design. With an insightful introduction and over 165 images, some of which have never been seen before, this beautifully produced book will be the definitive survey of the subject for many years to come." -- Publisher's description.

The exhibition Stenberg Brothers: Constructing a Revolution in Soviet Design, organized by Christopher Mount, Assistant Curator in the Department of Architecture and Design, is the first critical survey of the work of these two seminal figures in the history of twentieth-century graphic design.