Freedom now poster

This poster by Murray Grimsdale was screen printed by David Blair for JustArt, an exhibition of artists' posters organised to raise money for a campaign to stop the New Zealand Rugby Union's proposed tour of South Africa in 1985. Grimsdale added acrylic paint washes in yellow and red to bring depth to the black and white screen print.

The exhibition was held in Auckland and supported by the National Council of Churches. About twenty artists were involved, many connected to Artists Against Apartheid (which had become Auckland Artists Action by this time). The posters were activist in intent but were made for collection and display, rather than for pasting up on city walls.

The attempt to tour South Africa was only four years after the bruising experience of the Springbok rugby tour to New Zealand in 1981. Many New Zealanders had objected to that tour because of South Africa's policy of racial apartheid. Protests had caused obstruction and the cancellation of games, and much violence between protesters, supporters and police.

Renewed protest activity in 1985 demonstrated that the same issues remained. The proposed tour was cancelled as a result of a successful legal challenge.