Do you know what propaganda looks like? A mural showing Saddam Hussein on horseback. A poster featuring Chinese climbers carrying a bust of Mao to the summit of Mount Everest. A film of North Korea's Kim Jong Un parading an intercontinental ballistic missile. A Pakistani newspaper advertisement calling for "Jehad" [sic]. A soldier firing condoms from his gun in a Ugandan AIDS awareness and prevention campaign. A painting depicting American and Soviet crew members of the 1976 Apollo-Soyuz mission riding horseback across the heavens above earth, their respective flags held aloft.
Juxtaposing a wide range of material originating from conflicting ideologies, Propagadopolis presents a wealth of shocking, unusual and visually arresting images. Spanning an array of regions worldwide (with a particular focus on the US and the USSR) and ranging from the early 20th century to the present, the selected materials demonstrate how propaganda has been wielded to evoke emotions, rally support or instill fear. Most of all, propaganda aims to leave an indelible mark on the collective consciousness. Extended captions explain the fascinating stories behind this material, contextualizing the strategies used by governments, agencies and individuals seeking to influence, deceive and demoralize the public through the use of propaganda. Containing many previously unpublished examples and with an enlightening introduction from Robert Peckham, author of Fear: An Alternative History of the World (2023), Propagandopolis is an essential visual guide to the enduring potency of the most pervasive, manipulative and persuasive images of our time.