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When walking down a busy street in the city of Chicago, a person is bombarded with posters advertising for a multitude of different products and services. Placed on bus stops, rotating signs, in windows and elsewhere, there are thousands upon thousands of posters displayed all over the city. What one might not realize, though, is that each and every one of those posters is a work of art, created by a designer whose intent was to catch the gaze of passers by and sell them a product. And while the intent of the poster might not be relevant in say, 60 years, the art and design of the poster will.
Because they are such a commonplace in our daily lives, posters can appear to be something less than what some consider to be “art.” But, once one’s artistic “ideals” leave the canvas or the clay, there is a whole world of beautiful artistry that has existed for a very, very long time.
In recognition of this wonderful medium, the International Vintage Poster Fair annually brings together many of the world’s top dealers of authentic vintage posters for a weekend that not only allows the general public the viewing of many rare and beautifully unique posters from around the world, it is also gives them the opportunity to buy them.
Held this year at the Chicago Cultural Center, the International Vintage Poster Fair is the lead event for vintage poster collectors and art enthusiasts alike, with all of the proceeds going to fund activities of the Art Institute's Eveneing Associates program.
Produced by Gail Chrisholm (Co-founder of the International Vintage Poster Dealers Association, owner, Chrisholm Gallery, New York); Mireille Romand (member, IVPDA, owner, Galerie Documents, Paris); and David Pollack (President, IVPDA, owner, David Pollack Vintage Posters, Connecticut), the fair is a gathering of some of the world’s leading experts in vintage posters. Here, one can tap into a wealth of knowledge by engaging any of the dealers in a conversation about their collections. What’s more, each dealer has his or her own specialty -be it Art Nouveau, Avant Garde, etc.- so no question need go unanswered.
This dealer specialization is key to the fair and is what truly makes it interesting. For example, one dealer, MR Poster, specializes exclusively in Polish designed posters. Founded by Marty Rosenberg, MR Poster is considered to be the most comprehensive collection of pre-1945 and post-war Polish designed posters in the world. Ranging from advertisements for the circus to movie posters, the collection at MR Poster has a wide range of subject matter that is as wide as it is deep, offering a true freedom of design that is unique and vivid. These posters have a character of their own that allows them to stand out from the others, yet remain right at home with the rest of the fair.
If one thinks about it, the MR Poster collection seems to embody many of the core ideas behind the entire Fair. Their collection, like the Fair, makes a beautiful art form accessible to the public while at the same time bringing together a variety of "visions and voices" with a large collection of intriguing posters. For the Fair as a whole, however, it is the vendors that offer the differing "visions and voices," each bringing their own insights and interests in the world of vintage posters.
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"Wirujacy Seks" by Mieczyslaw Wasilewski. A poster for the movie "Dirty Dancing." (Photo courtesy of MR Poster.)
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The Fair will continue to be a melting pot of interests and ideas for many years to come, because even today, posters are being created that, one day, will be worth as much as some of the famous works that are annually for sale at the Fair.
According to IVPDA President David Pollack, “you have to look at [the posters] through the filter of time.”
So true, and as this writer learned, there are many factors that decide the collectability of a poster. Artist, design, rarity, all comprise the expertly decided value of a piece. And who knows, maybe those iconic I-pod posters might be worth over a thousand dollars in 60 to 100 years. Only time will tell.
For more info on the International Vintage Poster fair, please visit www.posterfair.com or call 1 (800) 856-8069.
For more information about MR Poster or to inquire about a purchase, please visit www.mrposter.com.
To learn more about the International Vintage Poster Dealers Association, please visit www.ivpda.com.
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