P l u t o   P a n o u s s i s, Poster: One Decade

May 13 - 27,  2006

the poster as creative voice:

a doorway between the public and the production

Artist's statement:

I stumbled into the activity of graphic design as a detour from architecture and filmmaking. Suddenly there I was designing (predominantly) theatre posters, and a good 10 years had passed. In reviewing the graphic work covered in that decade, two things in particular struck me:

a) One is that my first poster design appeared on the streets of Cape Town in late 1994, and as such is part of a new chapter in South Africa, as much as it is part of the now well-entrenched digital technology.  

b) Secondly, it struck me that somehow in the course of ‘doing my job’ and addressing the brief at hand, the various disciplines I had explored, fed into this essentially ‘commercial’ activity to produce a definite ‘personal style’ when reviewed as a body of work. What is more interesting to me, however, is the junction between the disciplines of fine art, graphic design and theatre within which these posters are niched.

 In deciding to have this exhibition, I am motivated in trying to understand the processes of creating ‘commercial visuals’ – visual work that uses a visual language whose primary function is to promote or sell: in other words, propaganda. As much as this word provokes a negative response, it is not without its romantic value. One need only refer to the constructivist posters of communist Russia, the charismatic posters of post World War 2 China, and the revolutionary posters of Cuba. The best work from these periods denotes a high level of visual sophistication - one that has certainly fed into the current capitalist framework. The poster if however selling, and be it political ideologies, consumer products, or the awareness of a creative product, such as I dealt with in theatre publicity, one is selling to a commodified understanding of the community one targets. The poster is therefore by definition a distillation of the advertisement, printed often on a larger format than usual, and presented within a public space for consumption by its target market. It stands to reason then, that a ‘good poster’ is an effective poster and an effective poster, in order to reach as wide a spectrum of people as possible, will fight against the idiosyncrasies of human behaviour and attempt to communicate its message in broad stereotypes. Branding.

 With this exhibition, I would like to add to the discourse about the appropriateness of the ‘personal voice’ intervening within the commercial graphic environment (as opposed to the anonymity of corporate branding) and its dialogue with the public. What images are we sending out then, and how does it affect what we are selling?

 By choosing to present (some of) the posters I have designed over the last decade within the fine art paradigm, I am at once celebrating the form of the poster design, and problematising the proximity of so blatant a commercial form within the contemporary visual arts, at a time when the various visual disciplines are increasingly bleeding into each other. Further than that, I wish to explore, in a video installation, a deconstruction of the poster by applying the idea of the poster as a representation of self – a piece that through the use of voice and image – ‘snippets of human experience’ – suggests the spaces that the poster cannot easily reach and that reflects my attempt to bring that ‘human complexity’ or idiosyncrasy into a form that usually requires some degree of visual fundamentalism.

CV: Pluto Panoussis

Film Work:

1990 "An Opening Night Celebration" 20 Min - The Opening Of The Desre Resnick Art Gallery (Director / Editor / Sound Editor)

"The Lady Or The Tiger" 15 Min - An Impressionistic Promotional Video For Penny Murdock Jewelers (Director / Editor / Sound Editor)

"The Green Season" 26 Min (On Mnet) - Spring In The Western Cape (Editor)

"Shapes Of Worship" 26 Min (On Sabc 3) - Symbols And Textures Of The Anglican Faith (Artistic Director)

1991 "The Making Of A Dream Circus" - Documentary On A Cape Town Based Circus (Director / Camera)

"Oases" 46 Min - Documentary On The West Coast Missionary Route (Camera / Sound)

"Boesmanland" 46 Min Blom En Wyn Trein Na Bitterfontein Tour (Director / Editor)

1992 "The Penguin Video" 5 Min - Irreverant Look At The Boulders Beach Penguin Colony (Director / Editor / Sound Editor)

1993 "As Large As Life" 26 Min (On Sabc 3) - Exploring Attitudes Related To Anorexia (Editor)

1994 "A Wilderness Of Mirrors" 2 Min - Proposed Feature Film Trailer (Editor / Sound Editor)

1995 "Heart And Stone" 90 Min (On Sabc 2 & 3) - An Expressive Documentary On The Life Of Anc Leader, Govan Mbeki (Co-Script / Editor / Sound Editor)

1996 "Reiselust – Nachts Im Cape Town" 25 Min (On Zdf Channel) - German Television Series On The ‘Nightlife’ Of Different Cities Of The World (English Script / Production Co-Ordinator)

1997 "The Quarry" 125 Min - Belgian Feature Film Directed By Marion Hänsel (Locations Consultant / Second Assistant Director)

2002 "Adams Family" 26 Min - Pilot Episode Of Homes Tv Series (Concept / Script / Direction)

2003 "Blikskottel" 13 Episodes X 26 Min (On Kyknet) - Cult Afrikaans Comedy Series (Director / Editor / Script Editor)

Theatre Work:

1995 Master Harold And The Boys - Athol Fugard (Set Design)

1996 Hamlet – Shakespeare (Set And Costume Design)

1996 Sawdust And Stars - Cabaret Musical (Set Design)

1997 Fallen Angel - Music Theatre Production (Original Script / Direction / Design)

1998 Edith - Music Theatre Production (Original Script / Direction / Design)

2001 Spirit – Dance Theatre Production (Original Script / Direction)

2002 Coloured Dancer & The Café Owner’s Son - Performance Art Piece (Conceived And Performed With Jacki Job)

2004 None Like Me - Theatre Piece Exploring Albinism (Script / Direction)

Graphic Design Work:

1993 Co-Founder Of Dill-Pickle Products Image Factory. Design And Publication Of First Dill-Pickle Greeting Card Range (15 Images)

1994 Publication Of First Dill-Pickle Greeting Card Catalogue (120 Images) (Concept / Design / Art Direction)

Illustration:

Regular Features In The Following Magazines:

Femina Magazine

Leadership Magazine

Sunday Life Magazine (Weekly Illustrations)

Cosmopolitan Magazine

Publication Design:

The Quarry - Damon Galgut (Penguin Books) (Book Cover Design)

Fiela’s Child - Dalene Matthee (Penguin Books) (Book Cover Design)

Urban And Regional Planning (University Of Cape Town Publication) (Book Cover Design)

The Natural Original Living Planner (From 1997 To 1999) Chosen As Official Diary For The United Nations 50th Anniversary In 1999 (Art Director / Editor / Cover Designer)

Hiv / Aids Workbook For Schools Publication Designed For 13 To 18 Year Olds In Underdeveloped Commuities (Art Director / Editor)

The Rsa Calendar (Art Director / Design)

Story Of The Kimberly Eco-Village Campaign Publication For The 2002 Earth Summit Gathering (Art Director / Design)

The Highway - James Walters (Book Cover Design)

Full Corporate Identity Design:

Cape Town Opera - Cape Town Opera Company

Jazzart Dance Theatre - African Dance Company

Warehouse @ On Broadway - Theatre Venue

Acacia Entertainment - Film Production Company

Tomas Films - Film Production Company

Dancejoint - Dance School

South African School Of Government - University Of Western Cape

Feather Associates - Management Training Company

Square, Dot, Plus - U.K Based Electronic Media Concepts Company

I Cafe - Cape Town’s First Intemet Cafe

Café 41 - Continental Coffee Bar

Natural Originals - Holistic Living Design Company

Agama Energy - Green Energy Solutions Company

Rsa Litho - Printing Company

Protector Health - Medical Insurance Company

Dv57 - African Digital Video Foundation

Poster & Programme Design: (Local & International Productions)

Drama:

Travesties - Tom Stoppard, The Madness Of George Iii - Alan Bennett,

The Visit - Friedrich Durrenmat, Die Jogger - Andre P. Brink, Gertrude Stein

And A Companion - Win Wells, La Bette - David Hirson,

Drift / 3 Susters 2 - Reza De Wet, Master Harold And The Boys /

Hello And Goodbye - Athol Fugard, Hamlet / Romeo And Juliet /

Macbeth / The Taming Of The Shrew / A Winter’s Tale - Shakespeare,

Severance - Ashraf Jamal, Johnny Cockroach - Breyten Breytenbach,

Generaal Mannetjies Mentz - Christoffel Coetzee, Elizabeth - Dario Fo,

Loot - Joe Orton, Shopping & F***Ing - Mark Ravenhill,

Bright Room Called Day - Tony Kusher, Letters From Patient Essop -

Graham Weir, The Government Inspector - Gogol, 53 Degrees - Jennie

Reznek, The Fire Raisers - Max Frisch, None Like Me - H.Patton, P.Panoussis

Opera:

La Boheme Noire - Puccini, Hal Shaper, Sacred Bones - Temmingh, Williams,

Carmen, Figaro, Rigoletto, Madama Butterfly, Tales Of Hoffmann,

Aida

Musical Theatre:

Cabaret - Kinder, Ebb, Fiela’s Child - The Musical - Dalene Mathee,

Kinkels Innie Kabel - Andre P. Brink, Sunjata - Traditional / Mark Fleishman,

The Sun, The Moon And The Knife - Stephen Watson,

Fallen Angel / Edith - Pluto Panoussis, Soe Loop Ons Nou Nog / Cold

Waters, Thirsty Souls - Mark Fleishman, Jazzart

Music & Movement:

The Pigeon - Patrick Suskind, The Kiss / Daaiza Lady - Jacki Job Dance

Project, X-Claim - Piet Rogie / Jacki Job, Vlam / Jazzarena - Jazzart, ,

Sawdust And Stars, Queen At The Opera, Trick - Zip Zap Circus, Spirit -

Pluto Panoussis, 2004 Music Indaba

Feature Film:

The Quarry - Marion Hansel (Worldwide Distribution),

Errant Knights - Abdulkadir Ibrahim,

I Spit On Your Grave - Meir Zarchi

Compact Disc:

Fiela’s Child - The Musical, La Boheme Noir - African Opera, Paris Berlin /

Broken Dreams / Dance Me To The End Of Love / Noel Au Provence

- Daniele Pascal, Nul - Adriaan Pelzer

Publicty Campaigns:

19th, 20th & 22nd Cape Town International Film Festival Seasons

Out-In-Africa Film Festival - 1995,

1997, 1998 & 1999 Cape Town Opera Seasons

Café 41 - Cherry Festival & Valentine’s Day

Sida Stand Design - World Summit 2002, Johannesburg

Agama Energy Stand Design - World Summit 2002, Johannesburg

Exhibitions / Festivals / Awards:

1988 Art Exhibition: ‘Citizens And Saints’ - One Man Exhibition (The Art Scene, Cape Town)

1989 Art Exhibition: ‘Erotic Art’ - Group Exhibition (Cats, Cape Town)

1990 Art Exhibition: ‘Couples’ - Group Exhibition (The Art Scene, Cape Town)

1990 Film Award: Gold Seal Award, 1990 London Amateur Film Festival "Waiting In The Wings" 25 Min (Production Loosely Based On The Edgar Allen Poe Story ‘Shadow’) Script / Director / Sound Editor

Festival Entry: Weekly Mail Film Festival "Home Video” 8 Min (An Experimental Short About Defiance And The Individual) Script / Director / Editor

1991 Art Exhibition: ‘Good Clean Rivers’ - Group Exhibition (Desre Resnick Art Gallery, Cape Town)

1992 Art Exhibition: ‘Floral Tributes’ - Group Exhibition (The Art Scene, Cape Town)

1993 Art Exhibition: ‘Safe Sex’ - Group Exhibition (Association Of Arts Gallery, Cape Town)

1996 Design Award: ‘Sawdust And Stars’ Runner Up, Best Poster Design (Grahamstown)

1996 Work Selected Into French-African Art Publication: Revue Noir

1997 Design Award: ‘The Pigeon’ Best Poster Design (Grahamstown)

2002 Third Place Award: Agama Stand Design

2002 World Summit (Johannesburg)

2002 Selected Into Main Festival: ‘Spirit’ Düsseldorf Global Dance Festival (Germany)

Academic:

1995/6: Politics Of The Documentary Film (For History Honours Students - University Of Cape Town)

1996: ‘Top Hat’, Art Deco And The Hollywood Machine (For ‘Art Deco Society’)

1996: Significance Of Interior Space In Film (For School Of Interior Design - Cape Town)

1997: B-Movie Culture And Its Pertinence To South African Film (For ‘Woman Today’ - National Radio Broadcast)

2001: The Idiosyncratic, Personalised Vision In Cinema (For ‘The Art Process’)

2004: Screen Acting Course (For ‘Open Window Academy’ And ‘Zenobia Casting Agency’)

2005: Correspondence Film And Television Directing - Course Author (For The ‘International Correspondnce Group’ - Icg)

Awards: (1989)

Best Student Award

Best Director Award

Best Film Award

Best Screenplay Award

Best Soundtrack Award

Trillion Award - Best Director Of A Commercial: Perrier Water Ad

Interests:

1987 Founded The Small Film Society - A Private Film Venue

1988 –1989 Founded And Chaired Bioscope - Cape Town Film School Film Society

1990 –1992 Active Member Of The Film And Allied Workers' Organisation - Fawo

1991 – 1995 Founding Member, Chairperson And Programme Co-Ordinator Of Flieks Film Society - (Cape Town's Alternative Film Venue)

1995 Developed And Presented A 6 Month Season Of Silent Films Accompanied By Live Music - (At David Kramer’s Dock Rd Café) Co-Ordinator And Presenter Of The Weekly Mail Silent Film Festival

The Market Theatre - (Johannesburg) Co-Ordinator And Presenter Of The Children's Film Festival

Arts Alive Festival - (Johannesburg)