The Sacramento Kings’ marketing department has nothing on Detroit artists. Sure the basketball team blasted tired, played out images of urban decay at its opening day crowd, but local message-makers here in Detroit know such cheap shots are off the mark.
Even before the sorry incident occurred, Detroit’s creative class of artists and designers were cooking up an attack of their own — a wave of positive propaganda, images that scream Detroit pride and show off the city’s best sides.
The poster campaign is part of Create Detroit’s Detroit Graphics Exposition. The poster art show and celebration of the city’s graphic arts community will take place Dec. 2 in the lobby of the Fisher Building. Artists and designers submitted more than 120 entries into the poster show, and 50 of those will be auctioned and displayed at the event.
Graphic designer Philip Mason, who is chair of the event, says part of the message of the show is that the arts community is firmly behind the city and it’s rejuvenation.
“It has to do with almost a positive manifesto that we refuse to tolerate negative messages about our city,” Mason says. “It is important for all of us to believe in the city or it won’t happen.”
Believe the hype
Don’t let the term “propaganda” throw you. Propaganda is the art of trying to sell an idea or concept. Historically, that’s meant a host of negative, politically charged sales pitches. When we think of propaganda, we think of Mao, Bolsheviks, Nazis and anti-Japanese World War II imagery.
In the case of the Create Detroit show, however, the artists are fostering positive messages, pushing a concept of urban pride and hometown hurrahs.
Furthermore, in the art world, poster art exhibitions also have a long history. In the 1890s in Paris, galleries hung posters by the likes of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. Giant exhibitions showed posters designed by artists from around the globe. As printing technology and artistic tastes have evolved, so have the style and quality of posters.
In the Detroit show, styles vary greatly. Some look like graffiti street art and others have the retro chic look of a ’70s album cover. There are completely abstract expressions, and designs that incorporate photography and well-known city icons. The array of approaches is astounding, Mason says. “Some of these are bordering on fine art, but they’re still communicating about the city.”
The images are not so focused on the buildings, the redevelopment and or any tangible signs of progress downtown. Nor are they about single Motor City icon or big event like the Super Bowl, says Eric Cedo, executive director of Create Detroit. “The messages went deeper than that. They were about pride and unity,” he says. “They’re very much about the spirit, the people and the soul.”
Artist Jamie Latendresse says he thought about all the negativity Detroiters hear about their city from outsiders when coming up with his image for the show. In the poster, dark beams bear down on the city, carrying words representing negative stereotypes; but shining up from the city are rays of lighter colors bearing positive news.
Latendresse, who also owns Hamtramck’s Pr1mary Space gallery, says Detroit’s always had its naysayers, for sure. “But I think the city has always been able to overcome that,” he says. “We always stand tall.”
Talent pool
Latendresse says working on projects like the propaganda poster show is “gravy” work for graphic artists, who spend most of their days tailoring their designs to clients’ wishes.
Detroit has a large talent pool of graphic artists and designers, Mason says, and the industry is bolstered by the presence of major auto clients and young talent coming from the College for Creative Studies.
Their work is prolific, even if their names are not well known. Every time we pass a billboard, pick up a leaflet, click on a Web site, we see their work. A show like this is a way to showcase the community’s skills and creativity, Mason says.
To further that end, entries were limited to Detroit area artists, Cedo says. And the show will be displayed at C Pop gallery in Detroit, as well as other venues around the state, and possibly out of state, too.
Cedo, whose nonprofit Create Detroit is dedicated to promoting the city’s creative types and entrepreneurs, says it’s important recognize the graphic artists and designers’ impact. “We want to be about attracting and retaining creative people in the city of Detroit,” he says. “The best way to promote Detroit is to promote a positive image of the city and to promote creative people in the city.”
The Detroit Graphics Exposition will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 2 in the Fisher Building concourse. The event features entertainment, an auction of 500 Detroit posters by 50 graphic designers and more. For tickets and more information, go to:
CreateDetroit
Phil Mason’s Design Council:
Pr1mary Space Gallery:
History of poster art:
C Pop Gallery:
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