Off the Wall: The Art of the Japanese Movie Poster 

17 May 2014 – 31 August 2014

Palace Green Library

We’ve got gangsters, monsters, samurai and cartoon characters… exploring the Japanese movie poster from the 1950s to the present day. 

The Japanese film industry entered a Golden Age from the 1950s onwards. Classic films were promoted by a new genre of art – the Japanese movie poster. Created by nameless designers from a few still photographs and some bold lettering, these posters have become collectors’ items the world over, admired in their own right as much as for the films they promote. 

Curated by Durham University’s Oriental Museum, using their collection of Japanese movie posters, the exhibition explored this world of bold and playful graphic design.