Graphic Intervention: 25 years of international aids awareness posters 1985â2010
by the Massachusetts College of Art and Design
The book was published in conjunction with an exhibition, the exhibit ran from 2010 to 2012. All of the posters from the exhibition are represented on the cover, organized chronologically in each column. The exhibition and book deftly champions pertinent socio political issues. The book has a foreword and an introduction by the curators and from the collector.
The posters in the book are organized by continent and a color system for each chapter. Beginning with Africa (green), the continent most affected by hiv/aids. Then Asia (yellow), Oceania (orange), North America (dark blue), South America (light blue), Europe (purple). Within each region, rather than simply representing the posters by country alphabetically and chronologically, the curators decided to find visual and thematic threads pairing posters that would inspire dialogue. It depicts a stunning depiction of aids awareness posters from thousand of posters in the collection to only 153 posters to publish.
They showcase an insightful overview of diverse visual strategies employed by many within their own distinctive cultural perspective in response to the subject of aids as a public health emergency. The rampant spread of the virus over the past 30 years has created the most significant global public health crisis in modern history. Despite the complexity and scale of the epidemic, there is still a lack of worldwide strategies to lead aids education.
In many countries, the poster as a medium of information was unknown before the emergence and identification of the virus. With aids ease involving sexuality and sexual behavior and therefore social and moral issues deeply rooted in culture and tradition, messages to raise awareness and encourage preventative behavior have varied significantly to best serve the intended audience. The poster has played a special role in promoting aids awareness and safe sexual education across cultures different aims messages visual metaphors and strategies have strongly influenced the content and design of aids posters. These messages can successfully reach specific targeted groups because the posters as a medium is cheap and easy to produce.
Production Credits:
Book sponsor by the international poster gallery and aiga boston. Designed by korn deisgn, from the collection of James Lapides, International poster gallery on view at the Stephen D Paine gallery in 2010. Catalog Art Director, curators and text by Javier Cortes and Elizabeth Resnick











