Post-Modern Posters
POSTMODERN STYLE
Strictly speaking, postmodern design was a short-lived movement that manifested itself chiefly in Italy and the United States in the early 1980s. The characteristics of postmodern furniture and other postmodern objects included hot-colored, loud-patterned, usually plastic surfaces; strange proportions and weird angles; and a vague-at-best relationship between form and function.
Critics derided postmodern design as a grandstanding bid for attention and nothing of consequence. The fact that, decades later, postmodern design still has the power to provoke thoughts (along with other reactions) proves they were not entirely correct.
Postmodernism began as an architectural critique. Starting in the 1960s, a small cadre of mainly American architects began to argue that modernism, once high-minded and even noble in its goals, had become stale, stagnant and blandly corporate. In the next decade in Milan, a cohort of designers led by Ettore Sottsass and Alessandro Mendini brought the discussion to bear on design.
Sottsass and Michele de Lucchi, in 1980, gathered a core group of young designers, which would come to include Michael Graves, Marco Zanini, Shiro Kuramata and Matteo Thun, into a design collective they called Memphis. The Memphis Group saw design as a means of communication and they wanted it to shout. That it did: the first Memphis collection appeared in 1981 and broke all the modernist taboos, embracing irony, kitsch, wild ornamentation and bad taste.
Memphis works remain icons of postmodernism: the Sottsass Casablanca bookcase, with its leopard-print plastic veneer; de Lucchi’s First chair, which has been described as having the look of an electronics component; Martine Bedin’s Super lamp: a pull-toy puppy on a power cord leash. After the initial Memphis show caused an uproar, postmodern design quickly took off in America. The architect Robert Venturi had already begun a series of plywood chairs for Knoll Inc. with beefy, exaggerated silhouettes of traditional styles such as Queen Anne and Chippendale. In 1982, the new firm Swid Powell enlisted a group of top American architects, including Frank Gehry, Richard Meier, Stanley Tigerman and Venturi to create postmodern tableware in silver, ceramic and glass.
On 1stDibs, the collection of postmodern furniture includes seating, decorative objects, lighting fixtures and more.
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Style:Post-Modern
Kraftwerk Original Vintage UK Concert Poster, Yeovil, 1975
Located in Devon, GB
A rare silkscreen concert poster for one of the first UK performances by German electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk at Johnson Hall in Yeovil, England, on Thursday 18th September 197...
Category
1970s British Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Batman' Original Vintage Movie Poster, American, 1966
Located in Devon, GB
"For the first time on the motion picture screen in color!" A fabulously kitsch and colorful US One Sheet poster for the first full length feature film of the DC Comics character Bat...
Category
1960s American Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
"Public Enemy" Original Vintage Concert Poster, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, 1988
Located in Devon, GB
A rare boxing-style concert poster for a performance by Public Enemy with fishbone, living color and Stetssonic at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on Saturday 17th December 1988, i...
Category
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
"Back to the Future" Original Vintage Movie Poster, Hungarian, 1987
Located in Devon, GB
A beloved American blockbuster, Robert Zemeckis' 1985 sci-fi adventure 'Back to the Future' starred Michael J. Fox as teenager Marty McFly, blasted back to 1955 in the plutonium-powe...
Category
1980s Hungarian Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
The Stone Roses Original Vintage Concert Poster, Blackpool, 1989
Located in Devon, GB
A large and striking silkscreen concert poster for The Stone Roses' seminal gig at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool, England, on Saturday 12th August 1989. Following the release of ...
Category
1980s British Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
"The Cramps" Original Vintage Concert Poster for Hamburg, Germany, 1986
Located in Devon, GB
A vibrant pink poster for a performance by American garage punk band The Cramps at Markthalle, Hamburg, Germany, on 18 April 1986 in support of their third studio album 'A Date with ...
Category
1980s German Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Hitchcock "Marnie" Original Vintage Movie Poster, British, 1964
Located in Devon, GB
An exceedingly rare vertical format British Quad for Alfred Hitchcock's 1964 psychological sex thriller "Marnie," starring Tippi Hendren and Sean Connery. Not present on the conventi...
Category
1960s British Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Grease' Original Vintage Movie Poster by Linda Fennimore, American, 1978
Located in Devon, GB
This rare US One Sheet poster with a delightfully peppy design by Linda Fennimore was released for the teaser Campaign ahead of the summer 1978 release of Paramount's blockbuster mus...
Category
1970s American Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Star Wars 'The Empire Strikes Back' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Polish, 1983
By Jakub Erol
Located in Devon, GB
Although Western films were shown during the Soviet era in the Communist Bloc, American publicity materials were banned, allowing the state-commissioned artists to operate with total...
Category
1980s Polish Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Joy Division Original Vintage UK Concert Poster, Edinburgh, 1980
Located in Devon, GB
A scarce original concert poster for a planned performance by influential British post-punk rock band Joy Division at the Astoria, Edinburgh, on Thursday 8th May 1980. The concert wa...
Category
1980s British Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Pink Floyd 'The Wall' Original Vintage Tour Poster for Dortmund, Germany, 1981
Located in Devon, GB
A tour poster for a series of performances of The Wall by Pink Floyd at the Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany, from 13th-19th February 1981. Based on a narrative concept by Roger Wat...
Category
1980s German Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Nirvana 'In Utero' Original UK Bus Stop Promotional Poster, 1993
Located in Devon, GB
An oversized UK promotional poster for the September 1993 release of NIrvana's third and final studio album 'In Utero,' following the chart success of the album's lead single 'Heart ...
Category
1990s British Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Gaetano Pesce Exhibition Poster Bernini, Italy, 2001
Located in Roosendaal, Noord Brabant
Rare exhibition poster designed by Gaetano Pesce for Bernini, Italy 2001. This poster was an exhibition poster for the Bernini Exhibition at Galleria Modernariato, Milano 4 April 200...
Category
Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Glass, Wood, Paper
"Pulp Fiction" Original 'Lucky Strike' Advance US One Sheet Movie Poster, 1994
Located in Devon, GB
Without a doubt one of the most sought after and valuable modern movie posters, this rare advance US One Sheet for Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece 'Pulp Fiction' was recalled by Mira...
Category
1990s American Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Marilyn Monroe 'The Seven Year Itch' Original Vintage Movie Poster, German, 1966
By Dorothea Fischer Nosbisch
Located in Devon, GB
Graphic designer Dorothea Fischer Nosbisch's stunningly vibrant artwork for the 1966 German re-release of 'The Seven Year Itch' has made this a highly sought after poster among colle...
Category
1960s German Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
James Bond 'Diamonds Are Forever' Original Vintage Japanese Movie Poster, 1971
Located in Devon, GB
Sean Connery was paid a then record $1.25 million to return as James Bond for EON Production's 'Diamonds Are Forever,' his sixth and final outing as Bond after declining the role in ...
Category
1970s Japanese Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Talking Heads 'Speaking in Tongues' Original Vintage US Promotional Poster, 1983
Located in Devon, GB
A scarce original Sire Records promo poster for the 1983 release of avant-garde 80s rock group Talking Heads fifth studio album 'Speaking In Tongues.' Designed by the band's frontman...
Category
1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Dirty Dancing' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Egyptian, 1992
Located in Devon, GB
Printed in sumptuous stone lithography, this winsome One Sheet poster by Wahib Fahmy for the first Egyptian release of 1980s coming-of-age classic 'Dirty Dancing' has us swooning. Sw...
Category
1990s Egyptian Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Sex Pistols Original Vintage Promo Banner Poster by Jamie Reid, British, 1977
By Jamie Reid
Located in Devon, GB
A promotional banner poster printed by Warner Bros to promote the November 1977, US release of the Sex Pistols only studio album 'Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols' in ...
Category
1970s British Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Dirty Harry 'Magnum Force' Original Vintage Movie Poster, American, 1973
By Bill Gold
Located in Devon, GB
In the first sequel to 1971 brutal crime drama 'Dirty Harry,' Clint Eastwood reprised his career-defining role as maverick San Francisco police detective 'Dirty' Harry Callahan in th...
Category
1970s American Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Steve McQueen 'Bullitt' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1968
Located in Devon, GB
In one of his most famous roles at the pinnacle of his career, Steve McQueen is the essence of cool as tough cop Frank Bullitt in this action-packed 1968 thriller, featuring one of m...
Category
1960s Japanese Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
James Bond 'Diamonds Are Forever' Original Vintage Australian Movie Poster, 1971
Located in Devon, GB
Sean Connery was paid a then record $1.25 million to return as James Bond for EON Production's 'Diamonds Are Forever,' his sixth and final outing as Bond after declining the role in ...
Category
1970s Australian Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Raiders of the Lost Ark' Original US Movie Poster by Richard Amsel, 1981
Located in Devon, GB
A rare US 40 x 60 poster for the original release of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' featuring Richard Amsel's iconic illustration of Indiana Jones with his whip slung over his shoulder. C...
Category
1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Charles Bragg Original Poster 1980's Convention of Lawyers Washington DC
Located in San Diego, CA
Highly collectible and rare 1980's poster by Charles Bragg . framed no glass original condition some damage to the paper as shown its sold in AS/IS condition.
Category
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Brass
'A Fistful of Dollars' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1967
Located in Devon, GB
Featuring a stylish photomontage with Clint Eastwood’s surly stare front and centre, this scarce B2 poster advertised the first Japanese release of Sergio Leone's 1964 Spaghetti West...
Category
1960s Japanese Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Sex Pistols 'God Save the Queen' Original Vintage Promo Poster, British, 1977
By Jamie Reid
Located in Devon, GB
A rare and iconic promotional poster printed by Virgin Records to promote the Sex Pistols 1977 single 'God Save The Queen' in UK record stores. Released to coincide with Queen Elizab...
Category
1970s British Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Taxi Driver' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1976
Located in Devon, GB
Set amidst the moral decay of New York City following the Vietnam War and Watergate scandal, Martin Scorsese's 1976 psychological thriller "Taxi Driver" starred Robert De Niro as a l...
Category
1970s Japanese Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
James Bond 'Dr. No' Original Vintage Japanese Movie Poster, 1972
Located in Devon, GB
Based on Ian Fleming's novel of the same name, the 1962 release of 'Dr. No' first introduced the world to one of the most enduring characters in Western cinema and kicked off one of ...
Category
1970s Japanese Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Maîtresse' Original Vintage Movie Poster by Allen Jones, American, 1976
By Allen Jones
Located in Devon, GB
In an early commercial commission, renowned British Pop Artist Allen Jones was asked to design the publicity poster for the 1976 US release of Barbet Schroeder’s 1973 fetish romance ...
Category
1970s American Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'King Kong Escapes' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Egyptian, 1988
Located in Devon, GB
Printed using stunning stone lithography, this kitschy Kong poster was issued for the first Egyptian release of Ishiro Honda's 1967 Japanese-American kaiju (monster) movie 'King Kong...
Category
1980s Egyptian Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Star Wars' Original Vintage Australian One Sheet Movie Poster, 1977
Located in Devon, GB
A scarce unfolded Australian One Sheet poster for the first instalment of George Lucas' original, genre-defining, sci-fi trilogy. Two styles of art were used for the original theatri...
Category
1970s Australian Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Poster Gianni Versace Metropolitan Museum of Art Photo by Irving Penn, 1997
Located in Milano, IT
GIANNI Versace. Beautiful and rare Poster of the Metropolitan Museum of Art December 1997-March 1998 of the exhibition on Gianni Versace. The poster depicts a photograph by Irving Pe...
Category
1990s American Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Original Memphis Poster for Chicago City Store, 1983 by Chris Garland
By David Csicsko, Chris Garland
Located in Denton, MD
Details: Rare Poster. This limited edition version is an exclusive offering directly from archives of the designer, Chris Garland. Ten examples are available from the original (1983 ...
Category
1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Pink Floyd "The Wall" Original Vintage Movie Poster, American, 1982
Located in Devon, GB
Based on Pink Floyd's 1979 narrative concept album of the same name, "The Wall" follows the descent into madness of Bob Geldof's troubled rock star Pink as he constructs a metaphoric...
Category
1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Arquitectonica Poster, 1984
Located in Hudson, NY
Architect as artist ll: Arquitectonica. Dedeaux Publishing Inc, New Orleans LA.
Copyright 1984, Arquitectonica Inc. Sized in frame.
Category
1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'The Birds' Original Vintage Movie Poster by Boris Grinsson, French, 1963
Located in Devon, GB
A spooky French Moyenne poster by prolific French poster artist Boris Grinsson for Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 psychological masterpiece 'The Birds,' based on Daphne du Maurier's 1952 sh...
Category
1960s French Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Sex Pistols Original Vintage Promo Banner Poster, British, 1977
By Jamie Reid
Located in Devon, GB
A promotional banner poster printed by Virgin Records to promote the October 1977 release of the Sex Pistols only studio album "Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols" in UK...
Category
1970s British Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Barbet Schroeder 'More' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1971
Located in Devon, GB
A bewitching full-bleed black and white photograph of a supine Mimsy Farmer confronts us on this scarce english-language poster for the first Japanese release of Barbet Schroeder's 1...
Category
1970s Japanese Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
James Dean 'Rebel Without A Cause' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1956
Located in Devon, GB
A full-length James Dean smoulders on this exceedingly rare two-panel poster for the first Japanese release of the classic 1955 teenage drama 'Rebel Without A Cause' in April 1956. S...
Category
1950s Japanese Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Pink Floyd 'The Wall' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Australian, 1982
Located in Devon, GB
Based on Pink Floyd's 1979 narrative concept album of the same name, "The Wall" follows the descent into madness of Bob Geldof's troubled rock star Pink as he constructs a metaphoric...
Category
1980s Australian Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Steve McQueen 'Bullitt' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1968
Located in Devon, GB
In one of his most famous roles at the pinnacle of his career, Steve McQueen is the essence of cool as tough cop Frank Bullitt in this action-packed 1968 thriller, featuring one of m...
Category
1960s Japanese Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Pulp Fiction' Original Vintage French Movie Poster by Bernard Bittler, 1994
Located in Devon, GB
Widely regarded as Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece, the ultra-violent comedic crime thriller 'Pulp Fiction' followed the intertwining tales of Los Angeles oddballs John Travolta, Sam...
Category
1990s French Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'I Married A Monster From Outer Space' Original Movie Poster, American, 1958
Located in Devon, GB
With a kitschy schlock-horror title and eye-catchingly vibrant artwork featuring a young bride dramatically recoiling in horror at the alien shadow lurking behind her, B movie sci-fi...
Category
1950s American Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Cinderella' Original Vintage Movie Poster by Karel Vaca, Czech, 1970
By Karel Vaca 1
Located in Devon, GB
Oozing cheery charm with its pastel-hues, jaunty typography and mischievous mice, this rare large format poster by Czech graphic artist Karel Vaca was issued for the first release of...
Category
1970s Czech Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
"Once Upon a Time in America" Original Vintage Movie Poster, Hungarian, 1988
Located in Devon, GB
Artist Ferenc Molnár confronts us with a gun-toting gangster in triplicate on his splattered monochrome poster for the first Hungarian release of the sprawling 1984 crime epic 'Once ...
Category
1980s Hungarian Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
"Cabaret" Original Vintage Movie Poster by Bartosova, Czech A3, 1989
Located in Devon, GB
Although Western films were shown during the Soviet era in the Communist Bloc, American publicity materials were banned, allowing the state-commissioned artists to operate with total...
Category
1980s Czech Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Manhattan' Original Vintage US Lobby Card Movie Poster, 1979
Located in Devon, GB
An international style US lobby card for Woody Allen's 1979 romantic comedy "Manhattan," starring co-writer and director Allen as a twice-divorced middle-aged comedy writer dating a ...
Category
1970s American Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'The Terminator' Original Vintage Movie Poster by Milan Pecák, Czech, 1990
Located in Devon, GB
Along with Jakub Erol's stylized design for the Polish release, celebrated Czech artist Milan Pecák's imposing illustration of Arnold Schwarzenegger as 'The Terminator' is one of the...
Category
1990s Czech Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'Face/Off' Original British Double Crown Movie Poster, 1997
Located in Devon, GB
A rare British advance Double Crown poster for John Woo's 1997 face-swapping sci-fi action thriller 'Face/Off,' starring John Travolta and Nicholas Cage as arch enemies who undergo e...
Category
Late 20th Century British Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Steve McQueen 'Le Mans' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1971
Located in Devon, GB
A scarce and uber-cool Japanese poster for the original 1971 release of Steve McQueen's seminal racing movie "Le Mans," featuring the King of Cool himself in racing gear as American ...
Category
1970s Japanese Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
'A Fistful of Dollars' Original Vintage Australian Daybill Movie Poster, 1967
Located in Devon, GB
“Introducing the man with no name!” Printed in stunning stone lithography based on the design of the teaser US One Sheet, this Australian Daybill poster was issued in 1967 to adverti...
Category
1960s Australian Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
James Bond 'For Your Eyes Only' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Japanese, 1981
Located in Devon, GB
The twelfth film in the James Bond series, EON Productions 'For Your Eyes Only' saw a return to earth with a more realistic and less sensational storyline after the extravagance of '...
Category
1980s Japanese Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Audrey Hepburn "Breakfast at Tiffany's" Original Movie Poster, Japanese, 1969
Located in Devon, GB
Candy colors combine to perfection with the adorable Audrey on this charming Japanese B2 poster for a 1969 re-release of the perennially popular 'Breakfast at Tiffany's.' Holly Golig...
Category
1960s Japanese Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Keith Haring Tony Shafrazi Exhibit Poster Lithograph-1988
By Keith Haring
Located in Southampton, NJ
Keith Haring Tony Shafrazi Gallery 1988 Rare exhibition poster on foam board illustrated by Keith Haring for his show at Tony Shafrazi Gallery, New York, December 3rd 1988 - January ...
Category
1980s American Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Foam, Paper
Star Wars "Return of the Jedi" Original Vintage Movie Poster, British, 1983
By Josh Kirby 1
Located in Devon, GB
The third and final instalment of George Lucas' original "Star Wars" trilogy saw Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford reprise their roles as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and...
Category
1980s British Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Echo & the Bunnymen Original Concert Poster for the Paradiso, Amsterdam, 1983
Located in Devon, GB
Boldly silkscreen printed in vibrant pink and red inks, this graphic concert poster promoted a performance by Echo & the Bunnymen at the Paradiso Club in Amsterdam on 19th March 1983...
Category
1980s Dutch Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Alfred Hitchcock 'The Birds' Original Vintage Movie Poster, Polish, 1968
Located in Devon, GB
One of the most sought after and influential film posters to emerge from the Polish School, Bronislaw Zelek's Stark and captivating design for the first Polish release of Hitchcock's...
Category
1960s Polish Vintage Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
Madonna 'Erotica' Original Vintage US Promotional Poster, 1992
Located in Devon, GB
A Sire Records promotional poster for the October 1992 release of Madonna's fifth studio album 'Erotica,' a concept album about sex and romance, incorporating her alter ego Mistress ...
Category
1990s American Post-Modern Posters
Materials
Paper
