Art and design has forever played an important role in bridging gaps created by geographical and linguistic differences. Keeping this in mind, Museo Camera, Centre for the Photographic Arts, Gurugram, is hosting ‘PoszTerra’. This travelling exhibition comprises a selection of posters created by artists from the Visegrád Group—the cultural and political alliance of Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia. Talking about hosting ‘PoszTerra’ at a space that is dedicated to photography, Aditya Arya, founder, Museo Camera, explained, “‘PoszTerra’ is not just about cutting across boundaries of geographies but also going beyond existing conventions and boundaries of art. Museo Camera is not just about the history of photography but also arts and graphics. One may look at this exhibition and say ‘That is not photography!’ but no, graphics are related to photography.”
Local Designs that bridge differences
Through a curation of 72 artworks, this exhibition provides an insight into the culture and heritage of the four Central European countries. The well-thought-out yet simple designs hint at the unbridled imaginations of these 12 artists. These posters rightly communicate the desired message despite variances in language and cultural symbols. This only goes to substantiate that art is one of the most powerful mediums of communication that can transcend languages. Even though the posters re-engage with the local culture of each nation—many posters have cultural symbols including emblems that are painted in the colours of their national flag—the themes explored here are universal. By touching upon important societal issues prevalent across societies, this assortment of posters aim to enlighten a universal audience.
Drawing on inspiration galore
Theatre and films are a common influence in ‘PoszTerra’. For instance, Hungarian painter István Horkay has made a poster that pays homage to Polish writer and playwright Witold Gombrowicz. The graphic illustration is inspired by Iwona, ksiezniczka Burgunda (Yvonne, Princess of Burgundy), a play written by Gombrowicz. Similarly, Pluta Wladyslaw from Poland has created a simple yet ingenious poster inspired by William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. In this piece, the letter E in the word ‘Macbeth’ is rotated 90 degrees anti-clockwise to form the shape of a crown. “You know the beauty of these posters is the simplicity. People have asked me if they can buy these. But look at the posters, they are so beautifully made; absolutely effortless,” commented Arya.
We met Shreya Khanna (24) from Gurugram at the museum on Saturday, who concluded, “There are themes that have been captured really well that were something I wouldn’t have really thought about. The way these elements are juxtaposed together really speaks to me.”