Kiss for Peace
Poster
1967 (published)
1967 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Tomi Ungerer once described the American presence in Vietnam as "a simply stupid war." Here, he appropriates the 1960s-1970s pacifist slogan "Kiss for Peace" and subverts its meaning. The boldly-coloured illustration depicts a Vietnamese prisoner of war forced to kiss the backside of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of America and its values. This anti-Vietnam War poster's cutting message is that although the rhetoric of American foreign policy may sound positive and constructive, when put into action, the results are often violent and destructive.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Kiss for Peace (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Colour offset lithograph |
| Brief description | "Kiss for Peace" Anti-Vietnam War poster by Tomi Ungerer. USA, ca. 1970. |
| Physical description | Cartoon illustration of a handcuffed, naked Vietnamese man being forced to kiss the Statue of Liberty's bottom by an American soldier. The statue's upper body is draped in stars and stripes of the American flag. |
| Marks and inscriptions | Kiss for Peace |
| Credit line | Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Summary | Tomi Ungerer once described the American presence in Vietnam as "a simply stupid war." Here, he appropriates the 1960s-1970s pacifist slogan "Kiss for Peace" and subverts its meaning. The boldly-coloured illustration depicts a Vietnamese prisoner of war forced to kiss the backside of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of America and its values. This anti-Vietnam War poster's cutting message is that although the rhetoric of American foreign policy may sound positive and constructive, when put into action, the results are often violent and destructive. |
| Bibliographic reference | The Poster Art of Tomi Ungerer edited by Jack Rennert. New York: Darien House, Inc. 1971 |
| Other number | LS.2484 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.990-2004 |
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| Record created | October 21, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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