Bring back the Depression Era (posters)

As the global economy dives into another recession, one of our favorite magazines Readymade asked 5 prominent illustrators and graphic designers to reinterpret popular posters created for the WPA. Contributing artists include Mike Perry, Nick Dewar, Christoph Niemann, Christoph Silas Neal, and Open. Each artist chose a different style of WPA poster to recreate and all results are nothing short of awesome. Can the WPA posters still bring us together 75 years after conception? Steven Heller poses that question in the introduction of the poster project.

“Given the current economic meltdown, this 75th anniversary of the New Deal has particular resonance. How might the current government stem the tide of economic and psychological depression? Can artists and designers help in similar ways today? It’s curious that the WPA style has been reprised in the recent past as a quaint retro conceit, but today may be an opportune time for a brand-new graphic language—equal in impact to the original initiative, but decidedly different—to help rally the cause of hope and optimism.”

If you want to check out more WPA poster love, check out Ennis Carter’s recently released book, Posters for the People. You can also download the entire series via pdf here. What’s your favorite poster? Can’t wait for the WPA to be reinstated? Let us know in the comment section.