DEMAND
THE IMPOSSIBLE! - Posters from the 1968 Paris Uprising.
An essay on the Atelier Populaire written by Mark
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Paris 1968.
Pent-up anger and frustration over poverty, unemployment and the
conservative government of Charles de Gaulle gave rise
to a mass movement for sweeping social change. In the month of
May, Workers and Students took to the streets in an unprecedented
wave of strikes, walkouts and demonstrations. By May 18th, 10
million Workers were on strike and all Factories and Universities
were occupied. During those days of turmoil the ATELIER POPULAIRE
(Popular Workshop) was formed. The faculty and student body of
Paris' main Art School... the Ecole des Beaux Arts, were
on strike, and a number of the students met spontaneously in the
Lithographic Department to produce the first poster of the revolt,
"Usines, Universities, Union!" (Factories, Universities, Unite!).
On May 16th,
Art Students, Painters from outside the University, and striking
Workers decided to permanently occupy the Art School in order
to produce posters that would, "Give concrete support to the great
movement of the Workers on strike who are occupying their factories
in defiance of the Gaullist government." The posters of the ATELIER
POPULARE were designed and printed anonymously and were distributed
for free. They were seen on the barricades, carried in demonstrations,
and were plastered on walls all over France. Their bold and provocative
messages were extremely influential and still resonate in our
own time. The handful of brilliant poster designs presented here
embody the very essence of Art activism, and represent just a
fraction of the enormous output of the Popular Workshop.
If you have
any questions regarding this exhibit you can contact me at; vallen@art-for-a-change.com
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The
heart of the Worker's struggle was brilliantly conveyed by this
image. The poster calls for a militant plan of action in opposition
to corporate control, and exhorts Workers to seize their workplaces
with the slogan, YES TO OCCUPIED FACTORIES! Here a Factory
building has been cleverly reduced to an immediately recognizable
abstraction, the Factory's chimney serving as the third letter
in the word YES. A companion poster exists that shows a
Bosses Cigar as the smoking chimney. That poster, emblazoned
with the word, NO, is a clear rejection of a workplace
not under direct Workers control.
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Workers
and Students viewed with suspicion the minor concessions and compromises
granted by the conservative government. Such reforms were seen
as an attempt to "buy off" the uncommitted, and those who entered
into talks with the conservative government were viewed as "Class
collaborationist" traitors ready to sell out the strikers for
personal gain. This poster, titled, REFORMS CHLOROFORM,
warns the viewer not to accept reforms meant to weaken the People's
movement.
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The
title of this poster is FREE PRESS. The simplicity, directness,
and clarity of mind displayed in the Paris '68 posters often can
take one's breath away. While this poster's visual style is primitive
at best... it's message is extremely sophisticated. On one hand
the poster conveys the idea that the press is controlled by the
Police, the authorities, the State, and nothing but the Police
version of reality rolls off the newspaper presses. On the other
hand... the poster is telling us that a truly free press
squashes Police State lies and government fabrications.
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Daniel
Cohn-Bendit was a radical young leader in the Paris revolt.
His provocative ideas and Anarchist proclamations struck a chord
amongst the young. Bendit was denounced by the conservative press
as a "Jew, a German, and an undesirable." The immediate artistic
response was this poster. Soon millions were chanting in the streets
the slogan found on the poster... WE ARE ALL UNDESIRABLES!
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This
poster titled, RETURN TO NORMAL, describes the twin diseases
of complacency and apathy. Since it was widely felt by the striking
Students and Workers that their paralyzing strikes should continue
until the conservative government fell... this image originally
mocked those who sought a quick end to the strikes and a restoration
of "business as usual." Like many of the best Paris '68 posters,
the message resonates in the present and continues to comment
on those who refuse to participate in anything except consumerism.
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