Students in Paris occupied the Sorbonne on May 3, 1968, sparking a cultural and social revolution that changed French society in a short time. It was not a political revolution but a cultural and social one that affected Paris and the provinces.
In the turbulent days of May 1968 in Paris, a group of artists calling themselves the Atelier Populaire created posters that were vital in spreading the call to unite students and workers. Immediate pressures fed the propaganda of the French revolt. The day-by-day events – the disruption of classes at Nanterre University led by Daniel Cohn-Bendit, the supporting student demonstrations in Paris, the police invasion of the Sorbonne and its occupation by students, the barricades, and the government’s reaction and referendum – these were the events that produced the newspaper stories and also these spontaneous, passionate comments in the poster medium.
Creating the Posters
The process of making posters was rapid and direct: “Graffiti sustained a relentless match of squash against the communique of the official radio and TV. Slogans were picked off the walls and brought to limited printing facilities of l’Ecole des Arts Decoratifs and L’Ecole des Beaux-Arts, rebaptised Atelier Populaire by the students entrenched there. Students and sympathetic workers encaptured by the spirit of community – experimented with participatory design, discussing and choosing together the poster subjects and images. Anonymity was not only a consequence of this working method but also an understandable necessity.
The first posters were printed by whatever means were at hand. As the movement became more organised and more people became involved, silkscreen workshops were established. When need overcame production, the ateliers were joined by the workshops of the Faculties of Science and Psychology, as well as by the Committees of Revolutionary Action operating in each neighbourhood, which resorted to every available printing medium. – blueprint and office duplicating machines included. In solidarity, Paris’s international artistic community contributed posters which, although more accomplished graphically, lacked the punch of the students’ simplicity.
Be Young and Shut Up Poster
This phrase encapsulated the frustration and anger felt by many young people at the time, tired of being silenced by an older generation they saw as out of touch. The protests ultimately led to widespread social and political change in France, with many reforms being implemented in response to the protesters’ demands. The poster has become an iconic image of this period in French history and is still widely recognized today as a symbol of youth activism and rebellion. Its message continues to resonate with young people worldwide fighting for their voices to be heard and their rights to be respected.
More on Design History
-
C & H Water Cooler Dispenser: A Sip from the Past
Amid growing sanitation awareness, the early 20th-century the C & H Water Cooler emerged as a unique innovation. As weRead More →
-
Hindenburg Zeppelin: A Journey Through Time
Explore the captivating history of the Hindenburg Zeppelin, from its elegant beginnings to its tragic end. Learn about the allure of air travel and its ultimate demise in this fascinating journey through timeRead More →
-
The Enduring Charm of the Aga Stove
Discover the enduring charm of the Aga stove in this brief history. From Sweden to sleek modernity, explore its timeless style, efficiency, and future innovations. A symbol of quality that’s more than just a cooking device.Read More →
-
Exploring Alternative Design: Challenging Consumer Society in the Late 1960s and Early 1970s
Discover how writers, thinkers, and countercultural movements in the late 1960s and early 1970s challenged consumer society through alternative design approaches. From hippie communities rejecting materialism to influential books like Victor Papanek’s “Design for the Real World” and E. F. Schumacher’s “Small is Beautiful,” explore the shift towards socially responsible, decentralized, and sustainable design. Underground…
-
The Curious History of the Writing Desk
The writing desk or bureaux originated in the early seventeenth century from old fashioned Bible boxes. They were flat boxes just large enough to hold the family Bible, which was the most treasured possession. These boxes were almost always kept upon a shelf in the living room. The boxes flat surface and conveniently high form,…
-
Fashion Design from 1900 to 1920 – Focus on Freedom
Fashion Design from 1900 to 1920 – Focus on Freedom. Newfound political independence came newfound fashion freedom. READ MORERead More →
-
Weaving Wonders: The Jacquard Loom’s Textile Revolution
The Jacquard loom, invented by French weaver Joseph-Marie Jacquard in 1805, revolutionized the textile industry by simplifying the weaving process and creating intricate patterns with minimal human intervention. The loom combined advancements from previous inventors, including Bouchier’s needles and hooks, Falcon’s chain of cards, and Vancauson’s prism and lantern wheel mechanism. The loom’s impact on…
-
Exploring the Pedagogy of the Bauhaus: A Typical Lesson
The Bauhaus School, founded by Walter Gropius in 1919, revolutionized art, architecture, and design by combining theoretical knowledge with practical training. Students completed the Vorkurs, followed by specific workshops, theoretical instruction, and interdisciplinary projects, fostering unity across arts and crafts.Read More →
-
The Ornamo Book of Finnish Design
The 1962 Ornamo Book of Finnish Design showcases mid-century modernism in Finland, featuring sleek furniture and playful textiles, with light age browning on upper edges.Read More →
-
Pop Art – Hardcover – Coffee Table Book
Pop Art emerged in the 1960s as a revolt against mainstream art and culture, focusing on materialism, celebrity, and media issues. It used mass-market sources and mechanized techniques, challenging the establishment and reducing artist roles.Read More →
-
Abstract Geometric Bauhaus Prints and Wall Art
Abstract Geometric Bauhaus Prints and Wall Art By WallbuddyRead More →
-
Neon Lighting – Dictionary – Design Term
Neon Lighting. Semiflexible, hollow tubes of clear acrylic with small bulbs inside that can be connected to light up all at once or sequentially to produce a “chasing” effect. It’s also known as disco lighting, and it’s given homeowners new illumination alternatives. Lights designers consider neon lighting to be an art form.Read More →
-
Mona Lisa Clock – Antique of the Future
Mona Lisa Clock – Antique of the Future which features a close-up photo of the famous face.Read More →
-
Paris: May 1968 Posters of the Student Revolt
In the turbulent days of May 1968 in Paris, a group of artists calling themselves the Atelier Populaire created posters that were vital in spreading the call to unite student and workers. The propaganda of the French revolt was fed by immediate pressures. The day by day events – the disruption of classes at Nanterre…
-
A Quaich: An Early Form of the Loving Cup
The quaich or quaigh is a type of Scottish drinking vessel. It is shallow and uncovered, similar to a porringer.Read More →
-
“International Style” Architecture of the Modern Movement
Alfred H. Barr Jr. coined the term in 1931 in conjunction with Philip Johnson and Henry-Russell Hitchcock’s 1932 “Modern Architecture: International Exhibition” (along with the accompanying book International Style: Architecture Since 1922) at the New York Museum of Modern Art, where Barr was director.Read More →
-
Jugendstil: An Exploration of an Artistic Style
Jugendstil, an artistic style that originated around the mid-1890s in Germany and persisted throughout the first decade of the 20th century. READ MORRead More →
-
Mission Furniture – Design Dictionary Term
The term mission furniture was first popularized by Joseph P. McHugh of New York, a furniture manufacturer and retailer. The word mission references the Spanish missions throughout colonial California. The style became increasingly popular following the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo.Read More →
-
Taylorism Search for Industrial Efficiency or Robotism?
His 1911 book Principles of Scientific Management outlined these concepts, and they have influenced various aspects of design, including labour-saving kitchens and more ergonomic household equipment. These included the writings of fellow American Christine Frederick, who published Scientific Management in the Home in 1915, and Lillian Gilbreth’s assessments of domestic efficiency for the Brooklyn Gas…
-
Dada Art Movement – Making Mischief
As a designer, I am passionate about the history of art and their influence on ‘visual design.’ In art history, Dada is the artistic movement that preceded Surrealism, it began in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1916 by a group of mostly painters and painters. Dada artworks challenged the preconceived notions of what art meant. Many Dadaists felt…
You may also be interested in
The iconic film posters of Bill Gold – Encyclopedia of Design
One of America’s most successful poster designers began his career at the age of 20, after graduating from an illustration and design course at Pratt Institute . Gold got a job in the poster department in the New York office of Warner Bros , and his first two projects were for the hugely successful 1942 films Yankee Doodle Dandy and Casablanca (both won various Academy Awards).
Manuel Orazi and notable art nouveau posters – Encyclopedia of Design
Manuel Orazi was a Spanish illustrator, a lithographer who contributed notable Art Nouveau posters of the last quarter of the nineteenth century. He designed the 1884 Théodora poster for Sarah Bernhardt with Gorguet. Others of his posters were for Peugeot bicycles, the opera Aben Hamet and, in the form of an old torn manuscript, for the opera Thaïs by Jules Massenet.