Tricontinental Conference Third Anniversary
In a period after the Cuban revolution in 1959 and during Cold War Cuba was a hotbed for revolutionary ideas. Ideas that spread far beyond their own country but across the global south. OSPAAAL (Organización de Solidaridad con los Pueblos de Asia, África y América Latina) stood in the forefront of disseminating these ideas across the world through articles and posters distributed through their magazine the Tricontinental. Founded in Havana, Cuba in 1966 they were in the midst of specially turbulent decade as decolonization and independence efforts raged across the world in countries who grew tired of imperialism and non-representational governments imposed by those who colonized them.
OSPAAAL focused on a globalized movement of anti-imperialism and anti-capitalism through active solidarity campaigns promoted through the magazine and their posters. Although Cuba had limited resources at the time the use of lithography helped them mass-produce these bold and engaging images which were then shipped across 80 different countries. The use of several languages is prevalent among their work also revealing their globalized view through function but also design choices and imagery from artist from the representative countries. In this work Cuban revolutionary Alfredo Rostgaard shows their solidarity with oppressed communities across the world. Through the use of an interchangeable negative space viewers of the poster are able to insert a representational figure in the place of a freedom fighter. Although the heads are generalized and stereotypical figures of the represented populations it is ultimately made for instant recognition and allow them to represent entire regions rather than singular countries. Another common element of the organization’s posters is also featured, a firearm. The use of firearms in their work and logo is representative of their belief that violence is necessary for to dismantle systems of imperialism, arming viewers not just with the goal of liberation but the methods they view as required to achieve it.
