Against Nuclear Testing

Designer’s Name + Biography:
Ryuichi Yamashiro (1930–1998) was a Japanese graphic designer who worked on posters, advertising, and social design. He graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts and became active in postwar Japan’s growing graphic design scene. Yamashiro often used bold color and symbolism to communicate humanistic and political messages.

Medium/Format:
Silkscreen poster

Client:
Self-initiated / Social campaign (Japan Council Against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs)

Size:
Approx. 100 × 70 cm

Cultural/Artistic Context:
This poster was made during a time when Japan was recovering from World War II and responding to the dangers of nuclear weapons testing. The dove shape and red background symbolize both peace and warning. Yamashiro’s combination of typography and form shows how graphic design became a tool for communication and activism in postwar Japan. The work reflects the rise of socially engaged design and helped define the role of graphic designers as visual communicators.

Associated Info:
The poster was exhibited in international design shows and became one of the early examples of Japanese designers using modernist design for peace and social awareness.

Image Credit:
AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale)