Rutgers University and Internet Archive have collaborated to create a limited edition series of risograph posters. Facilitated by Amir Esfahani, Director of Special Art Projects at the Internet Archive, and Mindy Seu, Assistant Professor of Design in the Mason Gross School of the Arts, 14 students in the course Design Practicum gathered unique collections on the Internet Archive and then adapted their findings into an 11×17 graphic. These were printed on a risograph by the Brooklyn-based studio TXT Books. 

The first 40 people to sign up will receive a packet of these tabloid-size posters. Please sign up here! https://forms.gle/72sX8F8vM8sCBDwo6 (Please note: We can only provide shipment to people in the United States). 

The 14 Projects

Jeepneys – 1950s to Present by Pauline Yanes

Portfolio: https://paulineyanes.smvi.co/

Collection: https://archive.org/details/jeepneys-1950s-to-Present

After World War II, many military Jeeps were left in the Philippines by U.S. troops. These Jeeps were decorated and modified to hold more passengers. Since then, Jeepneys have become the most popular form of transportation in the country. This collection showcases Jeepneys in the Philippines starting from the 1950s, exploring a visual history of this symbol of Filipino culture.

• 

Chinese Calligraphers of the Tang Dynasty 618CE—907CE by Zhongxuan Lin

Collection: https://archive.org/details/chinese-caligraphers-of-the-tang-dynasty-618-907

This collection includes the works of eight famous Chinese calligraphers born in Tang Dynasty. All of the images are photographs of the artwork written on paper or etched on monuments. 

Wartime Utility Furniture by Xinyi Huang

Collection: https://archive.org/details/war-time-utility-furniture

Utility furniture was first produced by the United Kingdom’s government during World War II due to the shortage of materials and usage rations.

Nintendo Box Art — USA vs. Japan by Derek Li

Portfolio: https://artfiles.rutgers.edu/~lid@art.rutgers.edu/projects/Arizona/index.html

Collection: https://archive.org/details/nintendo-game-box-art-usa-vs-japan

For this collection of comparisons between the USA’s and Japan’s box art for specific Nintendo games, it can be observed that the advent of global releases has removed much of the differences in box artwork with newer releases possessing nearly identical covers between the American and Japanese versions.

Souvenir Spoons Collected by The Fajardo-Reyes Family by Alexa Reyes

Portfolio: https://alexafreyes.github.io/

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/alexareyesart/

Collection: https://archive.org/details/souvenir-objects-collected-by-the-fajardo-reyes-family

A growing collection of spoons gathered over several years by a first generation Filipino-American family from New Jersey. Each souvenir utensil has its own story, own memory, and own journey from traveling anywhere between across the country or across the ocean. 

• 

Qing Dynasty Wealth Gap by Yuchao Wang

Collection: https://archive.org/details/qing-dynasty-wealth-gap

These photos display the extreme wealth gap between the Qing Dynasty’s upper class and civilians, revealing an invisible piece of history typically unseen in textbooks.

• 

Fictional Languages (in video games) by Sarah Poon

Collection: https://archive.org/details/constructed-language

Video games develop fictional languages that cannot be used anywhere else in reality. Some languages are only audio-based instead of having a traditional visual alphabet. 

• 

Rap Album Design 1993-2020 by Sebastian Lijo

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/lijo.seb/ 

Collection: https://archive.org/details/rap-album-design-1993-2020

This collection was made to highlight the progression of graphic design on rap album covers. It begins in 1993, right in the middle of the golden era of rap, and extends to our current day. Two covers per year are shown in order of their appearance on the highest first-week sales charts.

Double Bass Archives by Yogini Borgaonkar

Collection: https://archive.org/details/double-bass-archives

The Double Bass Archives includes performances of classical compositions and each piece’s correlating sheet music. This collection acts as a resource, providing a deep dive into the sound, documentation, and physicality of the Double Bass.

Steven Universe Monopoly by Nicholas Plyler

Portfolio: art.rutgers.edu/~plyler

Collection: https://archive.org/details/steven-universe-monopoly    

This collection is meant to archive every single unique piece that comes from the Steven Universe Monopoly board game. These unique pieces can be used to traverse and visit iconic Steven Universe locations.

Horror Movie Posters of Dario Argento by Steve Tomori

Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/stevetomori_design   

Collection: https://archive.org/details/italian-horror-covers-by-director-dario-argento

This collection consists of horror movie posters from the director Dario Argento. It features Italian and American posters as well as some alternate versions. These movies were directed, and some even produced, by Dario Argento and span over decades.

Strobridge Lithographing Company’s Circus Posters — 1890s–1950s by Marinelle Manansala

Portfolio: marinellem.com    

Collection:https://archive.org/details/strobridge-lithographing-company-circus-posters-1890s-1950s

Circus posters were created by Cincinnati’s Strobridge Lithographing Company, printed in the 1890s through the 1950s. These posters focus on attracting the audience by depicting the unusual main acts in a dynamic composition. By 1900, they were known as the “Tiffany of Printers” since they had become one of the largest and most popular printing companies in the United States.

Transparencies by Anna Pittas

Portfolio: annapittas.com

Social Media: instagram.com/annapittasphotography

Collection: https://archive.org/details/kodachrome-mounted-color-transparencies

A collection of Kodachrome mounted color transparencies were taken between 1950-1970 by members of the Clarke family. The photos are mostly family photos, capturing fun memories.

Covid-19 Street Art by Catie Esposito 

Social Media: instagram.com/artbycatie

Collection: https://archive.org/details/covid-19-street-art  

A living collection of street art in the U.S.A. focused around the Coronavirus Pandemic. These works of art are often temporary, so I am attempting to document these murals as I see them, either in person or online. This is an ongoing project until the ‘pandemic’ is finally over.