Solidarity By Design

OSPAAAL (the Organization of Solidarity of the People of Asia, Africa and Latin America) was an anti-imperialist coalition formed in 1966 by a group of 82 national governments and liberation movements. They spread their message through a series of posters designed and produced in Cuba, supporting action against systems of oppression. Notably, the designers were free of style restrictions usually placed on propaganda and were allowed to produce uniquely eye-catching images to further their cause. 350 of these posters were created, translated, batch printed, and globally distributed over 53 years of operation.

The eclectic design of Cuban posters is undeniably captivating. The format of the work, in addition to the visual technique used by the designers, created an effective vehicle for messages of protest and solidarity to travel in. Solidarity by Design aims to show this complexity by creating an interactive gallery of OSPAAAL’s posters. On a surface level, their appearance is visually compelling and requires no explanation to be appreciated; with a healthy dose of historical context, however, viewers can gain a better understanding of the messaging and design approaches behind these posters.