Subtle Appeals: Environmental Protection Posters from Japan

As elsewhere, Japan has had its share of environmental scandals, the consequences of which reverberate to the present day. Japanese graphic designers have been addressing this immense problem for decades. But instead of confronting us with startling imagery, they subtly appeal to viewers with finely rendered lyrical motifs that may seem—at least to Western eyes—to obscure the urgency of their pleas. With about 30 posters the exhibition raises awareness for the need to protect our natural world.