It is far from true that nobody likes war. Sorry to say, there are many who get a rush from the danger of this savage, extremely dangerous sport. Not Seymour Chwast. And he can prove it through posters, books, illustrations and magazines that petition the saber rattlers and missile launchers whenever possible. Maybe his efforts are to no avail. Stopping war is harder than starting it. But Chwast’s work is nonetheless a reminder that triggers emotions and, hopefully, one of them is regret.
War is over 5,000 years old. During Chwast’s 84 years the only thing politicians and generals have learned is how to make more efficient wars. That is discouraging enough for most to return to the cave and hibernate for, well, ever. Not Chwast. He keeps making art and design that reminds all who’ll look, read and listen that this state of mankind is futile and stupid.
His latest work, which is introduced today as a crowdsourced project on Kickstarter, Seymour Chwast At War With War, is a testament to his anti-war commitment and the latest in a long history of movingly witty drawings and woodcuts.
I’m proud to be involved with Designers + Books, which is directing the campaign to not only get this published but also celebrate Chwast’s dedication to art and design in the service of you and me. If you are interested in joining the chorus of support for this project go here. If you’d like to see an exhibition (April 26-June 4) of Chwast’s anti-war output, join us at the Society of Illustrators on April 28.
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