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La Presse Ment

Poster
ca. May 1968 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

During the general strike against de Gaulle's government (May-June 1968) students of the Ecole Supérieure des Beaux-Arts occupied their own buildings and set up a poster press. Named the Atelier Populaire, it put out an estimated 120,000 posters from 300 different designs in support of the uprising. Most were printed by cheap and 'home-made' silkscreen processes. The operation was highly organised and democratic, with slogans and designs selected by assemblies and committees. Perceived government misuse of the police and the press were grievances aired in many of the designs.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleLa Presse Ment (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Screenprint
Brief description
'La Presse Ment' [The press lies], French propaganda poster, screenprint by the Atelier Populaire, France (Paris), May 1968
Physical description
'La Press Ment' [The press lies], French propaganda poster, screenprint. The 'ss' of Press, makes an allusion to the SS [Schutzstaffel], the Nazi secret police. The image is white on black, depicting a member of the French riot police, wearing a helmet, goggles and boots, and carrying a baton. He is reading a copy of a broadsheet called 'Premieres Nouvelles' [First News], the writing announces 'C'est Le Calme' [it is calm]. The sheet obscures most of his body.
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'La Press / Ment' (At top of poster)
    Translation
    The press lies
  • 'PREMIERES NOUVELLES / C'EST LE / CALME' (Printed on 'newspaper' being read by policeman)
    Translation
    First news, it is calm
  • '. . .TELIER / . . .OPULAI. . .' (Atelier Populaire, the name of the student workshop responsible for making the print.)
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
Summary
During the general strike against de Gaulle's government (May-June 1968) students of the Ecole Supérieure des Beaux-Arts occupied their own buildings and set up a poster press. Named the Atelier Populaire, it put out an estimated 120,000 posters from 300 different designs in support of the uprising. Most were printed by cheap and 'home-made' silkscreen processes. The operation was highly organised and democratic, with slogans and designs selected by assemblies and committees. Perceived government misuse of the police and the press were grievances aired in many of the designs.
Other number
LS.1670 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
Collection
Accession number
E.1784-2004

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Record createdFebruary 13, 2006
Record URL
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