The Right to Remain Silent

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Project Description

Street advertising being an important element in shaping the urban environment, it draws attention and therefore also criticism. The environmental effect of street posters is enhanced by their sheer size and scale. A person shown on a poster is more or less life-size, and is therefore more realistic and easier to identify with. All of these make street advertising a powerful and effective publicity tool. As such, it also plays a role in setting aesthetic, ethical and social norms.

The idea that the human body is a legitimate sales instrument has proven a die-hard, not only because it is linked to commercial interests, but also because it touches on questions of norms and values. Walking, biking and driving around Amsterdam in the past couple of years, it’s been impossible for us not to notice a new element which is added to the old one: the use of the body in a violent context
While researching and preparing for this exhibition we have learned that this development started already about 10 years ago. In the meantime, technical improvements have made it possible for graphic designers to manipulate the image of thehuman body to the point of perfection; a possibility which seems to be applied more and more often.

Well-known is of course the controversial poster of Holland Festival, of a woman with a young beautiful head and an old, deformed body, which was later followed by posters of a male or female model in minimal clothing and tempting pose, hiding a weapon behind their backs. Others have chosen to publicize their merchandise by showing bodies carrying marks of violence, mutilated bodies, humans offered as food, or women tied up.

Is this development just another mode of expression?

Is it pushing the boundaries of freedom of expression?

Does it abuse freedom of expression?

We were struck by the fact that this trend appears mostly in advertising for cultural events. When first bafflement subsided and made room for an exchange of thoughts, we soon found ourselves taking part in the public discourse about norms and values which is “the talk of town” at this moment. It is also interesting to examine the fact that cultural and social trend-setters feel more free to extend boundaries. In other words: the advertising of a theatre group takes the freedom of expression one step further than that of Benetton. Questions arise about the reasons, the legitimacy and the effect of this development.