Towards The Precipice

Opening at Auckland Museum on April 20 Towards the Precipice: Propaganda posters collected by WB Sutch are a bold showcase of Spanish, German, British and Soviet propaganda posters from 1935 to 1942. These graphic poster images capture the tumultuous energy of countries on the precipice of war.

The exhibition includes the personal papers of renowned New Zealand social commentator, WB Sutch; It is supported by books, pamphlets and photographs from the Turnbull Library collections.

Posters such as these were used as propaganda tools in WWII as they were inexpensive, easy to produce and reached a wide spectrum of society in an immediate medium. The catchy slogans were created by committees who in most cases remained anonymous. The posters worked as public artworks rather than fine art pieces with the sole purpose of driving the working masses into action. The stark and simple design is shown in the series of posters that proclaim “Keep it under your hat!” – “Careless talk costs lives”.

William Ball Sutch grew up in New Zealand during the First World War and experienced the dramatic effects of privatisation. Sutch had an insatiable intellect which he used to closely study New Zealand’s history, social security and economic development. He expanded his outlook and scholarly achievements in 1932 when he travelled to New York while it was in the grips of the Great Depression.

He continued his travels to Western and Central Europe we he witnessed poverty, growing tensions and the increasing rise of fascism; experiences which shaped Sutch’s psyche, his collection of propaganda posters portray the politics, conflicts and struggle of the countries he ventured into - the giddying manipulative voice of government in immediate simplicity.

The extensive selection of posters on display in the Pictorial gallery at Auckland Museum is largely due to WB Sutch’s magpie collecting instincts. The posters carry powerful messages that act as a stark reminder of how propaganda can infiltrate the consciousness of a nation.

Towards the Precipice runs from 20 April – 20 May 2007
Pictorial Gallery, Auckland Museum, Free entry with Donation to Museum
For Hi-res images and further background information: news and media section of the website http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/?t=946
For further information contact: Michelle Lafferty or Jo Lee Kelly at elephant publicity
Ph: 09 3684180 or 0272956450, Email: elephantpublicity@paradise.net.nz

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