15 December 2008 to 5 March 2009
Printed between the late-19th and mid-20th centuries, the exhibited posters are now held in the protective custody of the City of Melbourne Art and Heritage Collection. Each was produced for a slender moment in time and was expected to be pulled down or pasted over.
Several leading Australian commercial artists are represented in the collection. The most 'racy' poster – 'FOR DISPLAY IN BROTHELS ONLY' – is, unsurprisingly, an orphan. But whether this art of persuasion was applied to electricity, public health or the nation, it demanded public attention.
These survivors provide illuminating insights into an era in which the poster enjoyed less competition for the public's eye than it does today.
Curated by Eddie Butler-Bowdon and Catherine Hockey
Since 2003, Eddie Butler-Bowdon has been the program manager of the City of Melbourne's Art and Heritage Collection. He has taken particular interest in strengthening the lithographic component of the collection through new acquisitions and conservation projects. He commenced his curatorial career in 1991 at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, before shifting to Museum Victoria in Melbourne.
Catherine Hockey is an artist with extensive experience with cultural collections. She worked at Museum Victoria for five years before commencing work on the Art and Heritage Collection in 2005. She brings a disciplined and creative 'eye' to cultural material in exhibition display, and has developed a high level of expertise in the conservation and presentation of 2D material, including lithographs.