New exhibition at the APG|SGA ePoster Gallery

Poster designs featuring animals appeal to all generations

The history of the poster is also a history of animal imagery: the APG|SGA ePoster Gallery brings the charm of historic animal posters back to life and recounts the stories behind them from the past century, as well as revealing gems from the more recent history of the poster. The virtual exhibition, launched today, was created in collaboration with the poster collection at the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich and explores the symbolism of animals in advertising. This striking array of animal imagery was researched and curated by the museum’s documentary specialist, Nico Lazúla Baur. Absolutely brilliant!

Rarely has there been such a pet boom in this country as during the pandemic-induced lockdown. Almost one in two Swiss households now has a pet. The rush on pet shops reflects the psychological bond between humans and animals. This relationship affects us all – whether it concerns pet companions, encounters with wildlife, species extinction or animal welfare. A look at the history of advertising in the APG|SGA ePoster Gallery reveals that even advertisers of bygone eras skilfully utilised the psychological effects of fur, scales or plumage to appeal to consumers on an emotional level. In an interview, Ms Nico Lazúla Baur (documentalist, Museum für Gestaltung Zürich, Collections, Department of Cultural Analysis and Education) discusses the animal as a central visual motif on posters. She traces the connection to the history of poster art, explaining the seductive advertising impact of cute animals – a phenomenon also known amongst advertising professionals as ‘cute marketing’. At the same time, she highlights contrasting intentions, where sewer rats or snarling fighting dogs were used as design symbols to appeal to the subconscious. An interesting fact: what worked fifty years ago is still effective today.

More poster stories

• Part of the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich’s poster collection can be searched via the online catalogue:

  https://www.emuseum.ch/

• Reproductions of the posters in the collection can be ordered for private use: https://www.emuseum.ch/services;jsessionid=BC3721DBB00C428A90AD7E29B997030D

An Overview of Poster Art
The poster collection at the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich is one of the world’s most significant archives of its kind. Around 350,000 items – of which some 120,000 have been digitally catalogued – document the history of Swiss and international poster design from its beginnings to the present day. From this collection, a loose series of virtual special exhibitions is being created for the APG|SGA eMuseum, which has been providing financial and cultural support to the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich for many years. The diversity in historical, thematic and geographical terms enables both a ‘tour d’horizon’ of poster art and a glimpse into a visual archive of everyday life.

Captions

1. Nico Lazúla Baur (Documentalist, Museum für Gestaltung Zürich, Collections, Department of Cultural Analysis and Outreach)

2. A glimpse into the virtual exhibition.