item details
NameArtwork for poster, 'Mobilise May 1'
ProductionWellington Media Collective; printing firm; 1981; New Zealand
David Kent; designer; 1981; New Zealand
David Kent; designer; 1981; New Zealand
Classificationpolitical posters
Materialspaper, ink, graphite
Materials SummaryFelt tip pen and pencil on paper
Techniquesdrawing
DimensionsOverall: 279mm (width), 444mm (height)
Registration NumberGH024613
Credit linePurchased 2015
Overview
This original artwork was created for a poster to advertise a protest against the 1981 tour of New Zealand by the South African Springbok rugby team. Many New Zealanders objected to the tour because of South Africa's policy of racial apartheid.
The poster called for a nationwide mobilisation on 1 May 1981 in an effort to force the New Zealand government to reconsider the tour. The tour went ahead, but protest action continued throughout, sometimes resulting in violence between protesters, supporters and police, eventually forcing the cancellation of two games.
The artwork combines crowd scenes from two different photographs - one of black South African children (in the background) and one of New Zealand protesters (in the foreground).