23rd MESS 1982

This poster, 23rd MESS, by Branko Bačanović, probably made in the early 80s, uses the graphic language of the silkscreen to create a visually arresting image. I love the way he's working with the push and pull of flat color and crisp black and white imagery. The layers in this artwork are really something; a deep red sky against a black horizon with what look like multiple prints of Shakespeare’s face. Look at how Bačanović uses these repeated images. There are five or six heads in total, each slightly different. It’s as though he's trying to capture the essence of a man, the multitude of characters within. And that little landscape in the circle at the top? It's like a tiny world or a memory floating above. It reminds me a bit of the Polish poster artists, or maybe even some early Warhol screen prints, but with its own distinct flavor. It's not just about a clean image, it’s about the energy and feeling of making. The kind of printmaking where the artist’s hand is evident.