A-Infos (en) Italy, FAI, Umanita Nova #18-26 - Art that Fights. Posters on Display (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

Between 1936 and 1939, Spain was not just a battlefield for armies. In 
an era when radio was in its infancy and television was nonexistent, 
city walls became the true "social media" of the time, a language both 
immediate, heroic, and brutal. ---- The streets of Spain transformed 
into the largest open-air art gallery of the 20th century. ---- The 
posters, described as a cry plastered on the wall, were not merely 
propaganda material due to their strong emotional and graphic impact, 
but true works of art that reflected the political and ideological 
struggle of the conflict, a weapon of mobilization, education, 
resistance, and the fight against fascism; an extraordinary testimony 
for its variety and breadth, for the messages and ideas they conveyed.

The anarchist aesthetic during the Spanish Civil War represents a unique 
case in the history of propaganda: it was not just about winning a war, 
but about illustrating a social revolution in progress.

The main producers were the CNT and the FAI, which ran collectivized 
printing workshops in Barcelona and Valencia.

"War and Revolution simultaneously" was the mantra of anarchist posters. 
While the Republican government wanted to win the war first and then 
implement reforms, anarchists used their posters to proclaim that war 
only made sense if it led immediately to the abolition of the state and 
classes.

Unlike communist posters, which often focused on military discipline and 
leaders, anarchist posters celebrated direct action and self-management.

Many posters extolled the collectivization of land; workers who, without 
taking off their overalls, take up their rifles; and the enemy (Franco, 
the clergy, capitalism) were often ridiculed.

A comparison between the anarchist and communist styles is essential, 
because it is precisely in this visual clash that the political tragedy 
of the Spanish Republic can be seen; While both fought against Franco, 
their posters spoke different languages. We see clear divisions between 
the individual and the masses, revolution and discipline, avant-garde 
aesthetics and realism, coupled with a different representation of the 
enemy.

While the CNT-FAI's graphics exalt the individual or small group, those 
of the PCE communists emphasize the disciplined masses and the regular 
army, in which the soldier is part of a machinery, often framed by 
perfect geometric lines that convey order, collective strength, and 
hierarchy.

The clear message in anarchist graphics is a revolution that must be 
fought immediately; the texts are often exhortative and passionate. The 
communists' message is different: win the war first, postpone the 
revolution; the slogans are imperative and military: discipline, 
fortification, education. The PCE wanted to reassure European 
democracies by presenting a moderate and organized image.

The aesthetic canon is also different, contrasting avant-garde and 
realism. Anarchists use a more expressionist and dynamic style. The 
Communists adopted photomontage (influenced by the USSR), drawing on 
socialist realism.

And in the representation of the enemy, while anarchist graphics 
represent "the system"-that is, the State, the Church, and 
Capital-communist graphics depict the traitor or spy (often identified 
precisely with Trotskyists or undisciplined anarchists), as well as, of 
course, the fascist and Nazi invader.

In short, the anarchist poster is a cry for freedom; the communist one 
is a battle order.

The FAI historical archive in Reggio Emilia has organized an exhibition 
on the posters of the Spanish Revolution (1936-1939), which opened on 
May 15th and will remain open until July 30th. It's an exhibition worth 
visiting, even more so today.

In an age of digital overabundance, rediscovering these posters means 
understanding the genesis of modern mass communication. Every brush 
stroke and every slogan engraved on paper

MLR

https://umanitanova.org/larte-che-combatte-manifesti-in-mostra/
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