VISIT THE ZOO, And Other Propaganda Posters From The WPA

From 1936 to 1943, the Works Progress Administration produced several thousand different silkscreened posters, which were meant to advertise WPA-funded cultural events, promote education programs, and to encourage -- or discourage -- certain behavior. They're fine examples of Modernist printmaking, and each gives insight into the the society that produced it. Some (the series promoting the National Parks, for example) are simply masterful, and their message rings as true today as it did 70 years ago. Others, like the one promoting tooth-brushing, bring to mind contemporary PSAs -- like posters in New York City's subway that warn of soda's high sugar content. The Library of Congress houses some 900 examples of the posters. -Sebastian Howard