Obama’s Bauhaus Influenced Flyers
Flyers handed out to advertise Barack Obama’s speech at the Victory Column at Tiergarten Park in Berlin not “Messiah Complex” but a crisp cross hybrid of (Jan Tschichold, Bauhaus) and Russian Constructivism that pulls from early 20th century German design and mid-century modern European work. The two posters embrace the ideals of the Bauhaus in that they are clearly functional, economical and above all honest in their use of space. They are an expansive unification of art and technology that rejects the overblown excess of the Bush Administration’s last 8 years and the bourgeois McCain campaign. Love the nostalgic nod to the accelerating internationalization of American culture in the postwar period. More thoughtful analysis about the flyers over at Meaningful Distraction — including a larger image of Obama’s Berlin poster alongside images of two Bauhaus posters from 1923 and 1928.
8 Comments so far
Are you a graphic designer?!?!? I am and I’m always impressed by the all of the entries you have centered around the subject. It’s so nice to see an educated opinion on art and design on a gay blog that doesn’t center around D&G’s current line. Thanks!!
I have some good links for you too if you want. let me know where to send them.
style over substance might not be a strong platform foundation.
i’m scared that his words could be empty.
The Bauhaus was more than a “style”, no? It’s a deliberate choice here to emulate the intent and zeitgeist of the Weimar Republic. Well, we hope Obama’s future survives way longer and better than that short-lived government.
wow, that’s hot hot hot. the posterized photo is particularly beautiful.
Bauhaus was also an attempt to get rid of the old, overladen and pseudo-baroque style of late classicism and the floral fantasy of Art Nouveau. Out with the old, in with the new.
When I saw the posters I thought “Damn, he has a clever team behind him. They cover everything and have something for every one.” (Of course I thought this in a different language
)
I actually see them as a mixture of Bauhaus and Russian Constructivism.
AND I can understand everybody who looks behind this corporate styling of a/any candidate with a sceptic eye.
@ #1 — i’ve always wondered the same thing. one of the many, MANY reasons i love jocko’s blog is his graphic design commentary.
I attended Obamas speech in the Tiergarten last week in Berlin. It was electric. The crowd ate it up. Well, except for his comments regarding Afghanistan, the Germans did not like that at all. Otherwise, it was an inspirational evening.