A collection of Aramco safety posters

Arabian American Oil Company. Safety posters.

Dammam, Aramco Loss Prevention, 1984-1989.

455 x 575 mm and 435 x 560 mm. 14 folding posters: 13 graphic posters and 1 photographic poster. With instructions in English and Arabic.

 5,000.00

A collection of Aramco safety posters featuring bright illustrations, bold colors, and techniques that give a nod to popular culture. The earliest poster in the set, dating from June 1984 ("Stop accidents before they stop you"), was designed by Ninoy Lumboy - perhaps the most productive artist of Aramco safety posters in the 1980s. "For the three years from 1982 to 1984 he designed almost every poster published by the Loss Prevention Department. While Lumboy was prolific, he was also amazingly inventive, merging elements of the cubism and impressionism art movements with pop art to create colorful and striking posters. He described his technique as 'crosshatchism' - a method of painting where an artwork is rendered with multiple layers of intersecting sets of parallel lines" (Bartlett).

Other than the Lumboy-poster, only 2 posters bear their artist's name or at least initials: Jenny Dahroug ("Wear hearing protection"), and J.v.D. ("Hand tool tips"). The remainder of the set are anonymous creations not ranging behind the above-mentioned in effort or style. Also, the set includes one photo poster featuring Aramco employees as models - a technique "that would become standard practice for the company's safety publications" (ibid.) from 1986 onwards. The present specimen shows two uniformed guards strapping into their car seats, ready to respond to a call, captioned with the slogan "The danger may not always be obvious. Buckle up".

Margins slightly worn. A unique ensemble.

References

Bartlett, Saudi Aramco and the Art of Safety, 227 & 238.

Stock Code: BN#59944 Tags: , ,