And we went from art deco to seventh art to stop at one of the aesthetic revolutions that had the most repercussions. The gender blaxploitation or of black exploitation, a movement that developed in the United States in the 1970s and whose central axis lies in the demand for equality and the fight against racial discrimination. It was a language that represented the boom in film noir very well and that contained features at all levels: both at a musical, visual or plot level. Among its basic features we find the imminent protagonism of black characters, funk music, urban settings and the agglutination of various exploitation subgenres such as sexploitation, stoner or shock exploitation.
This decade became the golden age of African American cinema and was motivated by a significant demographic growth of black citizens. Both artists and the public settled in the United States and in this way society, industry and aesthetic movements were bathed by the phenomenon. And it is that towards the 50s although the film industry allowed the incursion of black actors, they were almost always relegated to secondary roles so at that time there was a kind of ghetto (called race movies) in which black artists created films that were aimed at a black audience. Already in the 60s the black social movements (first led by the Black Powers and later in the mid-60s by the Black Panthers) were serving as an introduction to blaxploitation.
Stream features
- Strong claim charge in several ways: Without a doubt, this genre was a reflection of a phenomenon of social evolution and a series of conflicts that society was going through at that time. Undoubtedly, it was an event of great dimensions because through this genre we witnessed a premiere of image and concept. The Afro-American community went out into the world ready to show a new philosophy and above all a new identity, and in many ways it made use of art, of industry, and of the historical circumstances that arose at that time.
- It was born from the alternative until it became something massive: Blaxploitation was born as an independent, underground phenomenon in the hands of an exclusive and marginal ghetto. However, this was dissolving in certain senses in such a way that the racial differences were reducing to give the cooperation between artists and businessmen of different nationalities in order to transmit a wild, fresh message and exploit the new commercial image of a newly inserted urban tribe. in society and that of course was in tune with millions of adolescents. Something that was born out of the fringes and driven by low budgets managed to become a mass movement and revitalized Hollywood imagery in the eyes of the whole world.
Aesthetic Features: Blaxploitation in Graphic Design
- Although this current was tremendously demanding at the social level, it is true that this demand was not only circumscribed to this dimension but, on the contrary, crossed various limits or facets until it reached the artistic level. At a time when graphic design was permeated by defining values such as efficiency, minimalism and above all the strong practical and functional load, Blaxploitation appeared wanting to be heard in a sea of restrictive formalities and registers. One of the best weapons he used was the development of a visual language of its own which had some very interesting attributes, one of the maxims being the use of ornamental, curved and striking elements. In their fonts it can be seen in a very clear way. All or most of them opt for aesthetics, for the juicy, the striking and the sinuous in pursuit of minimalism or even legibility. In a certain sense they did not want to be understood, or at least not in the language of all those radical conservatives or by a system that made them the lowest social ladder. They had something to say and in their own language and under their own aesthetic criteria.
- In visual terms, the use of eye-catching color solutions, flat and especially the use of highly contrasted palettes which provided the compositions with a youthful and wild air.
- In addition, it also includes obvious retro brush strokes and vintage as low saturation effects or flat illustrations.
Then I leave you with several posters of this interesting trend and also with some logos that contain these features. Enjoy them!
