Paepcke Gallery
June 21 – September 12, 2018

This exhibit marks a unique collaboration between the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Aspen Ideas Festival, and the Resnick Action Forum, presenting 32 protest posters from the 1960s and 1970s at the Aspen Institute. Concurrently, the Whitney Museum in New York City is exhibiting a selection of protest posters from the same collection.

According to the Whitney, “Posters were essential tools of education and persuasion in the antiwar movement. Produced rapidly and often distributed at no charge, they appeared on placards, in public spaces, and on the walls of college dorm rooms. Like Internet memes today, they combined image and text in compelling, graphically innovative ways; they were lacerating in their critique and often brimmed with satire and gallows humor.”

Fast forward to today, a new moment that has seen frequent and diverse protests around the world, including unparalleled participation from a newly engaged youth. Protest is one of the greatest expressions of a democracy, and artists continue to influence this movement. The Whitney writes, “Whether making art as a form of activism, criticism, instruction, or inspiration, the featured artists see their work as essential to challenging established thought and creating a more equitable culture.”

These posters are part of a significant group of works acquired by the Whitney Museum of American of Art with generously donated funds from The American Contemporary Art Foundation, Inc., Leonard A. Lauder, president.