TypoChina – Contemporary character-based posters from China 3.5.–4.8.2006 Poster Gallery

© Han Jiaying

Characters and calligraphy have been an important factor in guaranteeing the cultural cohersion of this state of many peoples since Chinese antiquity. The traditional view is that it is more than a means of communication: when handled with mastery, calligraphy is more highly esteemed than any other art. The Poster Collection has brought together contemporary posters from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, proving that opening up commercially has aroused a new interest in posters. Their use in Chinese commerce scarcely differs from Western practice. But today designers are increasingly self-confidently making their presence felt with innovative posters in the fields of culture or non-profit-making organizations. They make characters and typography the key feature of their posters with striking frequency, impressively demonstrating a desire to be up to date with the inestimable treasures of their own written culture.

Publication:
«Poster Collection» 13, Museum für Gestaltung Zürich (ed.) and Lars Müller Publishers,
CHF 28.–