This spring’s major exhibition at Designmuseum Danmark in Copenhagen presents a wealth of Japanese graphic design. Visitors can experience a dazzling series of iconic posters from Japan which, beyond being visually striking, thought-provoking, and humorous, also unfold a compelling narrative about Japan’s historical and cultural development from the 1950s to the present day.

The exhibition takes visitors on a historical journey – from the pioneering generation that paved the way for modern Japanese graphic design amid the chaos of the post-war period, through the designers who flourished and gained international recognition during the economic growth of the 1960s, to the new generation of graphic designers of the digital age, who introduced new values and an experimental approach to Japanese poster culture.

Throughout the exhibition, visitors will encounter works that reflect the darker sides of society, address contemporary issues, and express a strong desire for peace. In addition, the exhibition offers an opportunity to explore the strong influence of Western modernist design and its fusion with Japan’s traditional aesthetics. The many iconic posters illustrate how Japan’s unique poster tradition has evolved — and how the poster as a medium serves as a mirror of its time.

Poster designed for the exhibition

The acclaimed Japanese designer Shin Matsunaga has created a new poster especially for the exhibition at Designmuseum Danmark. The poster explores design similarities between the Danish and Japanese flags. Matsunaga sees a visual kinship between the two nations’ flags, which – beyond sharing colors and a simple design – are also characterized by being highly cherished by their respective populations. Japan modern poster is the largest exhibition in the museum’s history dedicated to Japanese poster design. The exhibition has been created in collaboration with the DNP Foundation for Cultural Promotion, which has curated the exhibition and selected and loaned the 110 exhibited works from its extensive collection.