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Listen to Your Heart. Vote for FIDESZ [Alliance of Young Democrats]

Poster
1990 (designed and printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This poster is a typical example of the spontaneity and informality of the FIDESZ (Alliance of Young Democrats) electoral campaign in 1990. These were the first free elections in Hungary following the collapse of communism.

The colour orange and the form of an orange fruit were fundamental elements of the party’s graphic identity. Orange recalls the expression ‘Hungarian orange’ from Peter Bacso’s film ‘A tanú’ (The Witness, 1969) that criticised the anomalies of the communist regime in the nineteen fifties. One of the lines from this extremely popular tragi-comedy rapidly became a catchphrase in Hungary: ’it is little bit yellow and a little bit sour, but it’s ours’. In this phrase, people saw the essence of life under communism aptly formulated. Magyar Narancs (Hungarian Orange) was the title of a newspaper, founded 1989 by young publishers, several of whom became active members of the Alliance of Young Democrats. Another point of reference was the Polish opposition movement ‘Orange Alternative'.

Another important element of the party’s identity is the the graffitti-like lettering of the name FIDESZ (an abbreviation of Fiatal Demokraták Szövetsége/Alliance of Young Democrats). FIDESZ sounds similar to the Latin word ’fides’ (trust) and the campaign played on this.

The slogan of this poster was as popularised as a hit song. Its rhyming form is lost in the English translation.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Listen to Your Heart. Vote for FIDESZ [Alliance of Young Democrats] (generic title)
  • Pro-democracy Poster Collection (named collection)
Materials and techniques
Offset lithograph in blue, orange and black printed on paper
Brief description
Poster for the Fidesz party, Hungary. RF 90/507
Physical description
Poster
Dimensions
  • Height: 57.8cm
  • Width: 38.8cm
Summary
This poster is a typical example of the spontaneity and informality of the FIDESZ (Alliance of Young Democrats) electoral campaign in 1990. These were the first free elections in Hungary following the collapse of communism.

The colour orange and the form of an orange fruit were fundamental elements of the party’s graphic identity. Orange recalls the expression ‘Hungarian orange’ from Peter Bacso’s film ‘A tanú’ (The Witness, 1969) that criticised the anomalies of the communist regime in the nineteen fifties. One of the lines from this extremely popular tragi-comedy rapidly became a catchphrase in Hungary: ’it is little bit yellow and a little bit sour, but it’s ours’. In this phrase, people saw the essence of life under communism aptly formulated. Magyar Narancs (Hungarian Orange) was the title of a newspaper, founded 1989 by young publishers, several of whom became active members of the Alliance of Young Democrats. Another point of reference was the Polish opposition movement ‘Orange Alternative'.

Another important element of the party’s identity is the the graffitti-like lettering of the name FIDESZ (an abbreviation of Fiatal Demokraták Szövetsége/Alliance of Young Democrats). FIDESZ sounds similar to the Latin word ’fides’ (trust) and the campaign played on this.

The slogan of this poster was as popularised as a hit song. Its rhyming form is lost in the English translation.
Collection
Accession number
E.2200-1990

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Record createdFebruary 23, 2009
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