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Film posters – part of cultural history

Cinema posters are advertising material, and, by definition, of a transitory nature. But in reality, as a Zurich exhibition on the Cinema Xenix shows, they are not only witnesses to political and social movements, but also to the artistic and programmatic development of cinema.

Founded in 1981 as a Zurich Autonomous Youth Centre project, Cinema Xenix has become a Zurich institution and a centre for debate on politics and issues affecting society. The around 300 posters for film series and retrospectives that have been produced over the past 30 years also reflect this unconventional spirit. Subjects include films from former East Germany, gay films or new Arabic cinema. They have been created by various graphic artists.

Cornelia Diethelm and Sabine Albanese have chosen 60 of these posters, which are on display at the Museum für Gestaltung (design museum) in Zurich until September 28, 2014.

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