Poster-A Cultural Carrier

Posters, like drama, can truly reflect the characteristics of a society at a specific period of time. Posters can be designed for commercial advertisements, movies, plays, concerts, as well as sales of commodities, political statements and philosophical opinions on social phenomenon. No matter what the purpose is, posters play a historical role depending on the different cultural background. Japanese designer and artist Shigeo Fukuda said: "Poster is the symbol of human wisdom and culture."The related cultural aspects that posters carry and pass on are shown in various aspects. With its vivid visual forms, posters exist as the witness of the philosophical tendencies of a certain era, a certain nation and area. Therefore, the value of poster does not only lie in its artistic attributes, but also in the reflection and connotation of a certain culture. Posters become then cultural carriers.The exposure of the relationship and connections between the exterior/interior of the posters and cultural contents will be carried out from the aspects of epochal character, national culture and arts, social consciousness, and the character and gender of the designer.Meanwhile, the culture can flow out to appear via posters, which also infuse into new complementary and vital elements for the culture. Besides acting directly on the development of economy and commerce, commercial posters are one of the major means of information exchanges in the commodity society, and mainly affect the material field. However, cultural and artistic posters lay particular emphasis on conveying ideology, and mainly produce meaning to the mankind's spiritual realm. These posters aim at the human defectiveness of existence, discover mistakes, clear the confusion and condemn various kinds of social evils or serious conception results. Also including all purposes that make the development of this world gradually incline to the direction of health and exactitude, compared to the original appearance. British poet Matthew Arnold said: "art is a criticism of life", and both cultural and artistic posters touch social consciousness by informing philosophical ideas. Therefore, posters carry and pass on the cultural development as well as playing a major role in re-designing and promoting local culture by refreshing and enhancing its aspects and giving it a sense of performance.