Catalogue Number
NMLH.2025.37.3
Object Name
Poster
Title
Cuba: Magic Realism
Place
Paddington Printshop, London; Cuba; Latin America; Central America; Caribbean
People
Aldo Menendez Gonzalez (designer); Paddington Printshop
Date
c. 1988-89
Description
Screenprinted poster, "Cuba: Magic Realism" in black along the middle of the poster. Below in red is "6-17 June Pentonville Gallery, 4 Whitfield St W1". The background is a full page illustration of a paper boat in the red, blue and white colours of the Cuba flag, with the white five-pointed star on red background visible. The paper boat sits on a wavy blue and white striped 'horizon' with a bright green sea underneath. Smaller text to the right reads "Original limited edition silkscreen prints and textiles by contemporary Latin American, Cuban and European artists". Along the very bottom is "organised by" followed by the logos of the British Cuba Resource Centre, Paddington Printshop, TWIN and BfC.
This poster was made by Paddington Printshop, a community graphic design and print workshop in West London, co-founded by John Phillips and Pippa Smith. Between 1975-1991, the centre printed over 400 designs for left-wing community organisations. These publicised local political campaigns such as housing rights and food co-ops, to social gatherings including play days, gardening clubs, gigs and festivals. Their do-it-yourself style was part of the proto-punk ethos.
Multimedia
