POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

'Marimekko' poster designed by Bruce Weatherhead

Object No. 2010/63/1

Bruce Weatherhead's colourful and playful 1970s 'Marimekko' poster design emerged out of the psychedelic era of the late 1960s, and stylistically it reflects this counter-culture era. In colour and design it highlights the influence of British and American psychedelic pop posters, and the playful, humorous style of International modern style which boldly used simplified forms, bright colours, single images and bold type to communicate ideas with impact. The poster is a rare surviving example of 1970s Australian poster art. It strengthens the Museum's poster collection which is strongest in screen printed community-based protest posters of the 1980s. It was commissioned by Thesaurus, a Melbourne boutique design outlet, which imported and retailed international product for the home and especially the kitchen, including Marimekko designs from Finland. The poster relates to other objects in the collection including Marimekko textiles, other objects which document the retailing of Marimekko products in Australia, other photographs of Australian model Maggi Eckardt by David Mist and Bruno Benini, and the Henry Talbot photography archive, specifically the Bruce Weatherhead poster design for a Henry Talbot photography exhibition in 1968 (92/1256-1/12, displayed in the Museum's 'In your face: contemporary graphic design' exhibition of 2006). Anne-Marie Van de Ven, Curator, 2010