A Grand Prix Poster That Isn’t Lame

I’m not often accused of theft, but when a race is in town, especially a marquee event like Laguna Seca, temptation becomes overwhelming.   I do remember many occasions where a group of us guys would see a poster in something like a grocery store and we would create elaborate plans with a diversion, backup diversion and a Leatherman tool to remove posters from public places.  The biggest problem, however, wasn’t people actually caring that we were taking down advertising, but that they typically stuck it up there with large hunks of double-sided tape so the only way to take it down was to completely destroy it.  This is the power of souvenir hunters on a grand prix weekend in that the currency of memory is, temporarily anyway, more valuable than long standing morals.

Sample of some of the greats from a long gone era

The problem with the posters is that very few of them are actually worth paying for.  They’ve evolved from some of graphic design’s greatest hits into something that looks like a high schooler would photoshop together (so sorry if I offend, but you may see my point to some degree).  Now to be fair, the medium of printed poster has utterly lost its former power due to a multitude of reasons (automobiles want billboards, internet wants movies instead of stills, etc.).  But a wildly refreshing poster has appeared on the horizon in the form of an anime-esque poster for the Japanese Grand Prix on the 14^th of October. 

I am so lucky to have a friend from Japan who can translate all of this for me and has discovered that the artist is (English Translation, but still google-able) Ranka Fujiwara, who has also apparently done design for the late and revered Daijiro Kato.  There are currently no plans for major production of the image except in a small set of promotional materials.  However, at Asphalt & Rubber there is a conversation going on about how to buy the poster and even bold promises of “I will pay handsomely!” being made.  This poster, if ever produced as such, will go down as the first major contribution to the art of the poster since who knows when.  I’d love to buy one and I’ll bet many others would too.  Fujiwara! Please print it!!!  

I’ll post more info here if it develops!!  Please post a comment and I'll have my friend send this request to Japan!