"Democracia y Socialismo (Democracy and Socialism) poster" [NMLH.2025.37.219]

Catalogue Number
NMLH.2025.37.219

Object Name
Poster

Title
Democracia y socialismo [Democracy and socialism]

Place
Paddington Printshop, London; Spain

People
Paddington Printshop; Santiago Carrillo; Communist Party of Spain; Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB)

Description
Screenprinted poster, "Democracia y socialismo" ["Democracy and socialism" in Spanish] in black bold text along the top. Below is a line drawing of Spain and Portugal with Span wrapped up in thick metal chains. Below is "Santiago Carrillo, Secretario General del Partido Comunista de España y un miembro del comite ejecutivo del partido comunista britanico" ["General Secretary of the Communist Party of Spain and a member of the Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Great Britain" in Spanish], and "The Central Hall Westminster", with directions in Spanish.

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.

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