It is important to identify the historical posters of the Revolution since they provide a reliable source for understanding the notion of poster-making and the important influence of such art among people. Because such posters could serve as a document which shows the Islamic Revolution of Iran as one of the most significant Islamic awakening movements after a long stagnation in Islamic culture and civilization in this important part of Iran’s contemporary history.
Poster-Production in Iran
As the Constitutionalism Movement began in Iran, the printing industry also entered the country and with the help of this emerging industry, the fields of image-making and writing served the politicians and statesmen, on the one hand, and the opposition groups on the other.
The Rise of the Art of Poster-Making in the Islamic Revolution
The occurrence of the Islamic Revolution in Iran brought Iranians a new cultural and historical identity.
There were artists of the Revolution among the pioneering groups in this field who were following idealism. A significant number of these artists tried to reflect religious concepts such as martyrdom, sacrifice, Ashura, Mahdism, and unity in their art; the result of such a fusion was the combination of the works and elements of tradition and modernity. Modern revolutionary ideals and religious values and concepts in the works of these artists achieved a kind of coexistence and harmony. In fact, “political graphics are getting closer to their true meanings and because of new freedoms, they become more prominent every day; various occasions, ceremonies, elections, speeches, the commemoration of martyrs, anniversaries and events, took place in the first few years of the Revolution.”
Historical-Cultural Themes in Islamic Revolution Posters
Through the language of art, the revolutionary artists sought to express that Khomeini (ra) acts as Imam Husayn (a) of the time, and if there is no Imam Husayn (a) in the current era, one of his descendants with a firm belief will call the Muslim nation toward his path.
Each work, based on the conditions of its creation, can express the specific thoughts and goals of the people of its time, which include:
Condemnation of the Pahlavi Regime
One of the common themes in Islamic Revolution posters is justice and condemnation of the Pahlavi regime. People’s demands from the regime have been clearly shown in these posters, most of which were published by the Muslim Student Followers of the Imam’s Line organization. By creating jobs and interaction in the visual works, the designer of these pictures tried to show the category of justice in the whole work.
In the poster related to the condemnation of the Pahlavi regime, the background colour is yellow because the atmosphere created after all that bloodshed should be calm and pleasant so that people after experiencing mental pressure and hope for the fulfillment of their dreams. However, this is not the case.
The escape of the Shah and the support he gained from the superpowers are depicted in the poster. It is written in Persian and English on the upper right and the left parts of the poster respectively: “The Shah should be tried in Iran” and the Shah is placed between two scales to reflect the execution of justice. The creation of the scale of justice is because of depicting a bloody fist made of the bodies of so many people who were killed which means that if people did not sacrifice their lives neither the Revolution would have succeeded nor the Shah would be tried. In fact, Shah’s trial is the result of the shedding of the blood of thousands of innocent people, and the red lines on his face are a symbol of the bloodshed and crimes that he committed during his reign.
Being Anti-arrogance
The fall of the Shah was seen as a threat to the United States’ interests in the region. Accordingly, since the beginning of the process, the U.S. was hostile to the people in order to protect its interests and keep Shah’s monarchy. This notion is well reflected in the art of the Revolution. The theme of this poster is “imperialism.” It depicts a human figure who is screaming, his neck is under the pressure of a clamp the two jaws of which are the symbol of two guns. The important thing is that there is an American flag on one of the guns and a question mark on the other, and according to the caption, “yesterday, today (tomorrow)?” the poster has raised a thought-provoking and prophetic question. The artist asks the audience, if the presence of the United States which relates to tyranny and terrorism, continues as before, what kind of power will we face in the future? The word “tomorrow” is written in red, which is a sign of the bloody future of Iran.
The Position of Imam and Leadership
Showing the position of Imam and leadership is another common theme in the posters of the Revolution. This is the case with the picture related to Imam Khomeini’s arrival in Iran. On that day, Bakhtiar’s government announced that all airports in the country are closed and that if Imam Khomeini (ra) wants to return to Iran, he will not be allowed to enter. When people heard this news, they poured into the streets and threatened the Bakhtiar government with many slogans, “Woe to Bakhtiar, if tomorrow Imam Khomeini does not come.” Eventually, the Bakhtiar government was forced to open the airports and Imam Khomeini (ra) came to Iran.
Based on the events of that time and Imam Khomeini’s statements, a poster of his speech contains the martyrs’ graveyard, the plane carrying Imam Khomeini (ra) and the flowers falling on the martyrs’ graves, depicting his feelings, what the martyrs expect people to do, and the current emotional relationship in such an atmosphere. The clear and blue colour of the sky when Imam Khomeini (ra) entered the country, showed peace and security. Blue is the colour of peace and calm environment without worries and anxieties which is well used in this work.
The Presence of People in the Revolution
The green flags which are the symbol of conquest and victory and the blessed name “Hadhrat Zahra (a)” displayed on them reveal the path of the Revolution and its connection to the path of the Holy Prophet (s) and his descendants.
The women wearing black clothes and hijabs who eagerly join the men in fighting for the cause of the Revolution and participating in demonstrations will become angels wearing red clothes, and this indicates the deep influence of martyrdom. The black colour is an allusion to the grievances over the martyrdom of the people; the light reflected in the black space of the coverings guides the people wearing black clothes. On a piece of white cloth that is attached to one of the women’s tents, a beautiful sentence from Imam Khomeini (ra) is written: “From women’s lap men ascend.”
Resistance
The poster “the story of the resistance of the city of Dezful,” which had been hit by about 250 rockets during the Imposed War, was placed before the eyes of the people. This city was a symbol of resistance and standing against the enemy; because during the Imposed War, it was targeted by the enemy’s artillery, in addition to the fact that it was attacked many times and hence many innocent civilian women and children were killed. The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran designated this city as a role model city because about 2600 of its citizens were martyred during the war.
The poster of the resistance of Dezful shows how this city was oppressed. Black colour is used for the city and Persian and English words are written with yellow colour to indicate that the oppression of which black is a symbol no longer continues and hence rose or jasmine came into flower. A fragrant flower is the symbol of life and freshness in society. Also, two pigeons have built a nest in the upper part of the blackness and live peacefully and confidently in the nest without having the fear of bombs and missiles; “flowers and pigeons” are the two symbols of people who live in the city. The existing contradiction in the poster between the atmosphere of the city and that of the Imposed War and the invasion which is shown symbolically, is clear. This image is used as a painting of the enemy on the wall.
Martyrs
In the poster related to the position of martyrdom, a man in black while lying on the ground is depicted and the martyr’s body is drawn as a silhouette in the lower part of the poster in order to show the status of the martyrs. With lines of the same colour as the picture of the martyr, flowers are drawn and they together make clenched fists. The red colour of the image inspires martyrdom and conveys the “message of the continuation of resistance until martyrdom.” On the top of the poster, it is written in Persian, “tulip grew from the blood of the youth of the homeland” which is actually derived from the movement shown on the poster with the hands. Of course, the black colour is not a symbol of martyrdom, but “it is a symbol of cruelty and expresses the notion of emptiness and destruction” that darkens the space around the martyr.
The vertical format of the work, using red and black colours, and depicting the clenched fists as “tulips” that have grown from the black ground, all in all, have given strength to the picture. Even the red colour emphasized the two black clamps. Tulip is the national flower of Iran. In Persian language literature, the tulip is often a symbol of the suffering of love. Sometimes because of the blackness placed in its centre, it is interpreted as a burning heart of a lover.
Independence
Independence is one of the demands that the people wanted with all their hearts; an issue related to the planting of wheat, which, considering the revolutionary atmosphere of those years and the strategic value of this crop, was like doing jihad in the field of agriculture, and such an image promised more and more independence for the country. This notion is visible in the poster titled “independence.”
This poster depicts a man and a woman plowing the land with a plow and presents such an image to the audience. Furthermore, the raised sickles of the farmer’s man and woman, each of which has a red flag with the words “there is no god but Allah” and “Allahu Akbar” hanging on them, symbolically expressing a message.
Tools such as sickle, star, hammer, etc. are imported tools in Iranian culture. Although Iranians have been familiar with work and agricultural tools for a long time, during the Islamic Revolution, the issues of revolutionary ideas and countries that had revolutions were usually discussed.
The frame of the poster consists of two main parts. The image is also divided into two equal parts, the earth and the sky; perhaps the artist intends that unless efforts are made on earth, blessings will not come from the sky, and one must strive for one’s livelihood. Of course, the warmth of the lower colours of the poster clearly shows this idea.
Freedom
The poster with the theme of freedom pays great attention to the events of the year 1979, such as October 27, 1978, when the people ignored the threats of the military forces, moved to the checkpoint and thereby a bloody uprising with revolutionary slogans took place in which five were martyred and dozens were injured.
The poster which shows the “execution of five fighters” depicts the moment the bullet hits the person such that the pain is immortalized. Depicting the standing figures that have not yet fallen to the ground despite the pain shows eternal and stable resistance. In front of the standing figures of the martyrs, some guns are irregularly scattered throughout the picture. This formation in addition to the resistance and firmness of the martyrs as well as the unequal number of guns with the martyrs indicates the story of the injustice of the executions and the brutal acts of the dictatorial regime. The designer used the colour red, which is the colour of martyrdom, for the martyrs, and black colour, which represents cruelty and ignorance, is used to display the guns. The consistency of the figures with the frame implies the existing suffocation. This poster with the title “Lasting Iran” had a tremendous impact on people at that time. The open mouths are a sign of protest against the existing repression and the guns pointing at all sides show the rule of force and severe treatment of the opposition. Moreover, bent bodies are a sign of the excruciating torture that political prisoners suffered.
The Victory of the Revolution
The poster of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, like the Revolution itself which is the breaking of darkness, has been depicted in this way. The main elements of the poster include a string of barbed wire being placed approximately on the upper line of the poster and is separated from the middle and a relatively small photo of Imam Khomeini (ra) which is placed slightly below the point where the barbed wire is cut, on the bottom line of the frame and in the middle of the picture.
The purple colour used in the picture is a symbol of fear and suffocation. In such cases, people find themselves forced to integrate or identify with others. The red colour, which is seen as a slap originating from a historical day, February 11, 1979, breaks the barbed wires that represent captivity and slavery, and by creating a red triangle and emphasizing the movement, it becomes an image of the leader of this great movement.
The contrast of the small and bright image of Imam Khomeini (ra) in the middle of the dark and vast space in the background and his downward gaze seems to indicate the continuation of this movement in the heart of the night.
In this image, the state of the authority of Imam Khomeini (ra) can be seen. “Social power is derived from the status and social position of individuals and is based on credibility and relationship that legitimize domination and citizenship. Social power relies on obedience to social leadership.”
Unity
The poster which is a symbol of unity in the society shows a man in white whom in between his hands and body a visual narrative of the Revolution is depicted. At the top of the poster, a white and bloody bird is flying. At the bottom, the poster contains a sentence from Imam Khomeini (ra) addressing the people of Iran, “the people of Iran sacrificed everything for the victory of their Revolution, and this sacrifice was only for the pleasure of God, not for the desires of a person or a certain group.”
In addition, the logo of the Islamic Republic is included on the tulip flower, which means that all this bloodshed, unities, prisons and tortures eventually turned into the victory of the Revolution.
The green colour is used in the picture as a symbol of victory and following the wilayat (religious authority). The combination of exciting colours with the bloody pigeon is a symbol of the nation’s sacrifice. In this symbolic poster, the constituent elements of the Islamic Revolution are used in the background to present its achievement i.e., martyrdom. Also, the pigeon is a symbol of purity and freedom, beauty and liberation, etc.
Honouring the Prominent Figures of the Revolution
Honouring the famous and prominent figures of the Revolution was based mostly on the martyrs and those who had struggled for the independence and freedom of Iran. The poster depicts the people who gather to commemorate the martyrdom of Shahid Beheshti. The difference in the size of the figures refers to the high religious authority of Shahid Beheshti. The use of red colour for the crowd reflects their revolutionary and justice-seeking spirit.
Placing Shahid Beheshti’s photo at the upper part and the entire crowd below indicates that the martyr’s blood flows in the veins of the people and their path and like-mindedness with Beheshti. The image of Ayatollah Beheshti in the centre has the most balance and concentration.
Honouring the Workers and the Oppressed
The posters celebrating the workers and the oppressed have drawn revolutionary men and women with clenched fists shouting “victory is ours.” Men and women represent the Iranian nation. This slogan is written in red and in Persian under the rose flower. The space around the poster is dark which indicates the darkness of that era. In such a suffocating atmosphere, being together was the cause of the Revolution’s growth and victory. Normally, a rose is drawn with pink, yellow, white or red colours, but in this poster, the atmosphere is so dark that the flower is also affected.
The Oppression that was Inflicted upon the Revolution
Despite the widespread oppression inflicted upon the Revolution, some parts of the people are more oppressed. Therefore, the revolutionary artists placed more emphasis on this point. The title “red Hajj” is designed in connection with the bloodshed of the pilgrims of the House of God.
This incident happened in Saudi Arabia and caused sorrow for the Muslim people of Iran for a long time. By providing a set of realism elements and assembling them, the poster’s goal, which is to affect the audience’s emotions, has been achieved. In this poster, the artist shows a page of the calendar in the background to remind the audience of the time of the incident. Putting the picture of Ka’bah in the upper part of the post reflects its high position, and using red which is the colour of martyrdom in the hanging curtains, aims to facilitate the process of conveying the message. Many other topics, such as the ones referring to the martyrs, are also included under the category of the oppression inflicted upon the Revolution.
Sacred Defence
In the cultural history of Iran, the mosque has been one of the centres of the manifestation of the arts of Islam. The architecture of mosques and the state of the mihrab, which we see in the poster, are among the issues that have been promoted by Iranians and integrated into the spiritual etiquette of the mosques. In addition, the mosque was considered the main focus of the fighters of the Islamic Revolution.
In the case of mosques, the composition of colours has a religious orientation. Tile work in the mosques is indicative of the journey toward God, especially the arched ceiling of the mosque’s Mihrab, which is a symbol of unity and plurality. The praying person in the middle and bottom of the frame in a misty and mysterious space without feet has stepped on this path.
Expecting the Return of the Promised Imam (a)
The Promised Imam (a) is one of the other common themes in the posters of the Islamic Revolution. It was the knowledge and belief in the appearance of the Promised Imam (a) that caused the youth welcome death and stand up against suppression and cruelty with courage. The poster of expecting the Promised Imam (a) indicates the act of expecting the reappearance of him along with martyrdom, and the open eyes of the martyr in the picture are looking forward to seeing him and establishing justice all over the world. The action and achievements of the martyr show purity, innocence and chastity. The white spot on the hand of the martyr is a sign of his chastity and purity. Also, the half-dead body of the martyr indicates his death and waiting for his reappearance.
The white light in the upper part of the image refers to the place where Imam al-Mahdi (a) appears from the upper sky. The red colour used in the poster shows the ultimate excitement and inner energy. A symbol that gives life, excitement, power and revolutionary passion and creates the feeling that a person should separate himself from everything that bothers him. Red is an attractive colour that shows the vitality of youth, and at the same time, it is a sign of fiery love and excessive desire for life; it is a symbol of resistance and revolutionary passion; it shows stability and truth-seeking; it reflects seeking martyrdom and red death.
Reference: Islamic Revolution Studies [A Quarterly Scientific-Research Journal]. Vol. 14, No. 51, Winter 2018, Pp 117-140.
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