A revelatory and informative presentation of the anti-apartheid posters created by Medu Art Ensemble
Formed in the late 1970s, Medu Art Ensemble forcefully articulated a call to end the apartheid system’s racial segregation and violent injustice through posters that combined revolutionary imagery with bold slogans. Advocating for decolonization and majority (nonwhite) rule in South Africa and neighboring countries, Medu members were persecuted by the South African Defense Force and operated in exile across the border in Botswana.
The People Shall Govern! features nearly all the surviving posters that Medu created between 1979 and 1985. These objects are exceedingly rare, as they were originally smuggled into South Africa and mounted in public places, where they were regularly confiscated or torn down on sight. Offering new insight into the conceptual framework of Medu’s working practice and featuring a beautiful silkscreened cover, this volume examines the continuing relevance and impact of its poster production.
Distributed for the Art Institute of Chicago
Contributions by:
Khwezi Gule, Ashraf Jamal, Mongane Wally Serote Edited by:
Antawan I Byrd, Felicia Mings Imprint: Yale University Press Country of Publication: United States Dimensions:
Height: 292mm,
Width: 216mm,
Spine: 2mm
Weight: 907g ISBN:9780300254341 ISBN 10: 0300254342 Pages: 160 Publication Date:28 July 2020 Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format:Hardback Publisher's Status: Active
Antawan I. Byrd is associate curator in the Department of Photography, and Felicia Mings is academic curator in the Department of Academic Engagement and Research, both at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Reviews for The People Shall Govern!: Medu Art Ensemble and the Anti-Apartheid Poster, 1979-1985