M.I.T. Student Posters 1968 - 1971 Alpha Phi Omega - Lot of 76: Student Life at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Description:

M.I.T. Student Posters '68-'71

Lot of 76 posters
This large collection of seventy-six (76) visually exuberant M.I.T. student life posters from 1968 to 1971 were published by the M.I.T. chapter of Alpha Phi Omega (APO) to adorn the infinite corridor and other M.I.T. campus locations, pinned to bulletin boards, walls, doors and other receptive surfaces. This visually and topically wide-ranging set of posters have distinctive graphic art that was designed to advertise upcoming APO sponsored lectures, academic lectures, volunteer opportunities on and off campus, APO contests - Ugliest Man on Campus, a lunar lander dropping down into Carnival, student government elections, The Institute Screw Contest, radical and traditional theatre, movies, WTBS 88.1 FM, academic colloquia and MIT's campus culture itself. Topics range from the arcane to contemporary music and art - Laura Nyro and, Richie Havens at Kresge Auditorium for example, international drama, environmental activism and physics and mathematics. The graphic art and lettering are varied depending on the subject matter, often ironic or with meaning within meaning. There are many visual puns. APOSTER, APO Type Foundry or A.P.O. appears on almost all of these posters, some with the artist's name such as RJM, MB/hatfield, WiZ, and Bromberg. Two of the posters are not signed APO, one for the Theater Workshop Boston and another for an Environmental Day.

There are manuscript notes on the back of several of the posters, one expressing the print run with a mathematical formula. The name "Funks" is on the verso of each poster. There are three primary size formats, approximately 11" x 14", 14" x 22", 15 7/8" x 26" and a banner size 26" x 8". Condition is generally very good, with bright colors throughout. Some have signs of use, and several have a dark stain at lower margin. The posters may have been kept as a proof set or collected before posting as very few posters have pin or staple holes and some posters are in two formats, with and without text or multiple color formats.

These MIT student APosters are 20th c. American broadsides. The art and fonts speak of the times. This large collection demonstrates an ongoing cultural tradition at MIT of student composed art displayed in posters and banners to animate the community.1/ Typefaces, graphic design and color all convey meaning. The design and printing of these posters trained the hand, eye and mind. That is as true today as it was when these '68-'71 posters were printed. The print tradition at MIT endures.

Topic Highlights in the MIT Posters - irony, humor and irreverence:

-Spring Carnival APO Presents the theme: MIT IS A CARNIVAL April 19 Rockwell Cage

-MIT Chaplaincy Guest Lecture: Sexism Racism and Anti-Semitism: Patriarchy and Paronoia (sic) and Matriarchy and the Mastery of Nature" the imagery suggesting otherwise

-UMOC The Blob Comes to MIT covering the Dome

-Physics employment opportunities forum with big Yellow Taxi

-MIT Blood Drive - "We Can't Make Blood in a Lab"

-Technological Fixes versus Real Solutions- Technology & Culture Seminars

-Fresh Dates * For Everyone New Shipment to Arrive Shortly MIT Date Service Class of '72

-Wanted for eleemosynary troglodytism Ugliest Man On Campus

-The Big Screw Returns AlphaPhiOmega Institute Screw Contest Kaleidoscope

A complete set of images is available for review. The Biblio site limits photo display to 12 images.