Myth and Manpower: Graphics and the California Dream
September 27 , 2009 – January 10, 2010

Exploring the power of graphic design to communicate ideas and shape human behavior, this original exhibition takes a closer look at the myths surrounding the Golden State. Juxtaposing idyllic images created for selling citrus fruits against union posters created to mobilize for workers’ rights, Myth and Manpower examines the ways in which design principles were used to influence the American public. Organized by the Museum of California Design and guest curated by Bill Stern, Myth and Manpower: Graphics and the California Dream debuts at CAFAM on September 27th.

Each group of works in Myth and Manpower uses the different graphic styles to convey its principal message and reveal radically different representations of women, the California landscape, and agricultural product. Early 20th century California fruit box labels painted a mythical picture of a sun-soaked state with pristine orchards, luxurious fruit, and glamorous women. With its peaceful colors, reassuring text, and Hollywood-backdrop scenery, these labels sold the California dream to American consumers every time they went to the grocery store.

Not depicted on the labels were the laborers who worked the fruit fields, often under harsh conditions and with few rights. In the 1970s, the United Farm Workers of America created posters in order to mobilize for workers’ rights and expose the other side of California’s agricultural history. The UFW enlisted the talents of well-recognized Chicano artists and designers — such as Barbara Carrasco, Ricardo Favela, Estaban Villa, and Xavier Viramontes — and Chicano art collectives such as the Graphic Arts Group (San Francisco) and Royal Chicano Air Force (Sacramento) to prepare a bold graphic message. The UFW posters were instrumental tools in the struggle for better working conditions and in uniting workers (and their supporters) in solidarity.

Both the citrus industry and the United Farm Workers played significant roles in the economic development of modern California and they continue to be mainstays of the state’s economy. Their graphics have left a legacy of the multi-faceted character of the state — from the wealth that produced “millionaires row” on Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena to the strides made for social justice by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. This exhibition honors them and their contributions to California cultural history.

About the Museum of California Design

The Museum of California Design is dedicated to honoring California's unique contributions to commercial design and to furthering the understanding of how design affects the way we live. The Museum’s programs cover everything from cups to cars—though not architecture—made in every conceivable material. Through its exhibitions and educational programs, the Museum of California Design demonstrates how California's innovative spirit has reflected, and often led, America's cultural and economic development, how it has shaped the way we have lived for more than a century, and how its influence continues to affect us.

This exhibition is supported in part by the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles with additional support from the Nathan Cummings Foundation, Bill Stern, Patricia Stich, Sara Tienda, Michael Gregg Michaud, Lorca Cohen, Steven Ehrlich, Philip Shurley, and Maia Danziger.

Image Credit: Xavier Viramontes, Boycott Grapes, 1973, from the collection of the Center for the Study of Political Graphics, Los Angeles, CA.

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