Japanese Society for the Rights of Authors, Composers, and Publishers 1988

This is Tadanori Yokoo’s poster for the Japanese Society for the Rights of Authors, Composers, and Publishers, and the way he throws together high and low, east and west, old and new, is a total mood. Yokoo’s work is a mashup of styles, and that feels right for this subject. The colours are saturated and the composition is jam-packed, like a fever dream. Look at the floating figure, set against those colliding circles. What does it mean? I don’t know for sure, and I love that. It feels like Yokoo is saying, “Here’s everything, all at once." This poster reminds me a little of Peter Saul, another artist who isn’t afraid to be loud and messy. They both seem to be saying that art can be anything, and that’s a pretty cool message. It’s a real pick-me-up.