Grow it yourself by Herbert Bayer

Nearly a century ago, America robustly supported and enabled the arts, recognizing the health of a society’s culture as a vital part of a free and thriving nation. In 1935, President Franklin Roosevelt created the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to provide jobs for millions of unemployed Americans, including thousands of artists. The WPA established poster divisions in 1935, and by 1938, they had expanded to at least 18 states. The divisions produced posters to promote community activities, positive social and cultural values, and proactive approaches to health.

Artists designed and selected colors for the posters while technical staff handled printing. The posters were initially painted by hand, but the introduction and popularization of silkscreening by WPA artist Anthony Velonis in 1936 enabled mass production (some divisions printed up to 600 posters a day!) and elevated the process itself to an art form. In fact, Velonis coined the term "serigraph" to distinguish the fine-art quality of silkscreened prints from commercial posters.

The poster division played a crucial role in advancing American design, emphasizing craftsmanship, creativity, and ethos-driven making. Richard Floethe, head of the New York poster division, believed that the program not only helped struggling artists–it revitalized the American artistic landscape by creating a distinctive style that influenced future generations of poster artists. And now, almost a century later, these designs have been carefully contextualized and remastered by the 20x200 team and are available as limited edition fine art prints.

Eat Fruit Be Healthy (1938)

Eat Fruit Be Healthy was designed in 1938 to promote community activities, positive social values and proactive approaches to health. Food and healthy eating became popular subjects for WPA artists and writers as scientists first began to explore the chemical make-up and effects of certain foods in the 1920s and 1930s.

There are stylistic suggestions of the tail end of Bauhaus and hints of Art Deco elements to be found in this cherry-picked print. The fruit is simplified and stylized, their forms articulated through an expressive collection of graphic lines and shapes. The all-caps, negative-space lettering is bold, stretched, and buoyant.

Image of Woman Hiking—WPA recreation project, Dist. No. 2

Woman Hiking—WPA recreation project, Dist. No. 2 (1936-1939)

Artist Shari Weisberg designed Woman Hiking—WPA recreation project, Dist. No. 2 in the Chicago, Illinois poster division as a way of encouraging people to go outside, be in nature, and engage in healthy activity. This piece is especially interesting given that its subject is a lone woman, trekking in nature: a seemingly radical image for the late 1930s.

Be Kind to Books Club (1936)

Be Kind to Books Club was intended to encourage children to read and care for books. Stop destroying their spines by folding their front covers backwards, keep them safe and dry—basically, treat your tomes with respect! It’s a savvy PSA—teaching kids to care for books, to elevate them to the status of something worth safeguarding, just might sow some full-grown bibliophiles.

National Letter Writing Week (1936)

Bold, blocky, and rocking that red, white & blue, National Letter Writing Week shows a mail carrier suited up with a letter in hand. That sans-serif geometric typeface jumps out, announcing the week and, at the bottom, affirming “that letter will be appreciated.”

Keep Clean (1939)

The financial strain of the Great Depression was compounded by a decline in sanitation and hygiene. In response, a number of government programs were created to improve public health and encourage cleanliness and nutrition. Keep clean was designed by Erik Hans Krause in the late 1930s, when recent scientific advances in medicine revealed new information about how diseases spread and successful methods of prevention. Screenprinting was vital in disseminating this knowledge to ensure a safe and informed public.

Forward Pass (1936)

Forward pass was created by Polish painter Joseph Vogel in 1936 and exhibits his signature surrealist style in a sporty motif. The three players are almost balletic in their posture, but their oversized hands and broad shoulders hint at their brute force. The field, flags, and distant goal post take a backseat to the dynamic dance frozen in the fore. This seems to be a scene of near success, the Quarterback hoisting the ball high out of reach, an offensive lineman (at bottom) blocking a tackle. Since these figures are faceless, this isn’t a nod to individual victory. Rather, it’s a triumph of teamwork, and an homage to the artfulness of athletic improvisation.

Related editions:

Image of Food–don't waste it (Final Sale)

Image of Migrant Worker on California Highway

Image of Join NSA, National Ski Association

Image of January—A year of good reading ahead

Image of For a richer, fuller life wake up and read

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Posters for the people: Art of the WPA