Accession Number
2016/2.199

Title
A New National Park

Artist(s)
Paul Rand

Artist Nationality
American (North American)

Object Creation Date
1975

Medium & Support
offset lithograph on paper

Dimensions
42 in x 28 in (106.68 cm x 71.12 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Franc Nunoo-Quarcoo and Maria Phillips

Subject matter
The poster advertises the new national park in Boston, which includes historical sites critical to the Revolutionary War. Paul Rand abstracts patriotic symbols like the star, the flag, and the torch to connect the park to its important history. Rand does not actually use the American flag, but he does employ the colors from the flag. The torch is an allusion to Lady Liberty and suggests enlightenment. Rand injects his signature sense of humor by suggesting the star is also a figure holding the torch. These symbols relate the park to its past, but also modernizes these symbols. They seem humorous and multivalenced rather than formal and traditional.

EC 2017

Physical Description
A blue poster with a white, five-pronged shape in the center. The top left pring "holds" a torch, and blue and red squares are arranged across the graphic. The bottom reads "Boston", "A new national park...", and lists various historical sites in the city.

Primary Object Classification
Print

Collection Area
Modern and Contemporary

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
ceremonial torches
graphic design