Monsters & Heroes: Political Graphics from the San Francisco Poster Syndicate was a screenprint exhibit in SFPL’s Skylight Gallery, showcasing political posters from a local art syndicate. The bold graphics of the posters and the bold statements they made told the story of the last seven years of protests, marches and labor actions in a city known for its liberal activism.

Inspiration for the title treatment came from one of the signature posters from the exhibit, Summer of Love 2017, situated at the front of the gallery. The hippy-dippy pink flowers became a nearly abstract background pattern on the poster, while the police officer’s baton and helmet wing, respectively, subtly reference the monsters and heroes of the title.

The design of the title also takes its inspiration from the practice of overprinting. I imagined a screenprinter mixing ink and pulling prints of the title itself: first the light blue pattern, then a semi-transparent yellow layer turning some of the blue green, and finally a “key” layer of black spelling out the title.

Photos of the Poster Syndicate at work were interspersed throughout the gallery with text panels offering explanations of the practices and philosophies of the group.

Inspired by a photo of just-off-the-press prints hanging to dry in an alleyway, I created a faux drying line at the entrance to the gallery, showing one of the posters from the show at each of the three stages of its printing (1 color, 2 colors, and all 3 colors). The Library’s HVAC gently buffeted them back and forth, adding dynamism and playfulness.

Exhibit description

You may have seen San Francisco Poster Syndicate screen printing live and giving away free posters at political actions over the last several years. Poster Syndicate has been a regular presence at these actions, whether at the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, Fight For Fifteen actions, protests against ICE internment camps or at any of dozens of large scale political protests during the Trump administration. But they have also been printing live at community art galleries, mural unveilings and working in the background creating graphics for organizers in homeless rights, electoral and union campaigns.

This exhibit showcases artists and activists who together have produced work in support of a wide range of organizations fighting for immigration justice, racial justice, climate justice and economic justice since 2014.