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History Reviewer

Vietnam Posters: The David Heather Collection

“Rarely viewed by the outside world, this collection of posters from the 1950s to the present encompasses a politically significant period in Vietnamese history. With their boldly rendered images of Ho Chi Minh and local heroes; guerrilla fighters, tanks and bombers; factory workers and the urban and rural landscape, these posters-many produced in small numbers under economically adverse conditions-reverberate with vibrant colors and innovative graphic language, revealing much about the country’s cultural and political climate. An overview of the collection shows how imagery from indigenous folk art, the work of French-trained nationally acclaimed artists, as well as Russian and Chinese propaganda styles have all influenced the unusual, graphically diverse styles of these posters. This collection offers a deeply resonating, visually arresting social history of a country during times of peace and war.

About the Authors

DAVID HEATHER is a businessman, curator, and collector of North Korean and Vietnamese art and the co-author of North Korean Posters (Prestel). He lives in London.SHERRY BUCHANAN is a former editor and columnist for the Wall Street Journal and the International Herald Tribune. She is the publisher of Asia Ink and the author of several books on art, history, and culture.”

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