Stark, raw, and uncompromising, this original circa 1970 OSPAAAL poster by Gladis Acosta encapsulates the brutal realities of colonial oppression in Africa with piercing graphic clarity. Issued for the International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Africa (May 22–28), the poster's design merges typographic force and minimalist symbolism in a powerful call to global conscience.
The word "AFRICA" rises vertically like a monument—or a cry—imprisoned behind sharp arcs of barbed wire, which dominate the composition. The black block lettering, bold and immovable, contrasts with the fluid menace of the wire, evoking themes of struggle, confinement, and resistance under apartheid and colonial regimes.
Created by OSPAAAL (Organization of Solidarity with the People of Asia, Africa and Latin America), this poster—like others from the movement—was distributed folded inside Tricontinental magazine, destined for activist circles and liberation movements worldwide. The text at the bottom appears in five languages, including Spanish, English, French, and Arabic, reaffirming the internationalist ethos of the movement.
Visually spare yet emotionally loaded, this poster is a graphic protest in its purest form—an urgent reminder of art’s role as a vehicle for political resistance and transnational solidarity.
A rare and haunting example of Cold War-era liberation design.
Politics - Africa - Ospaaal - Cuba
International Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Africa
Very good condition
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