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Wolfgang Tillmans creates anti-Brexit, open-source posters for Remain European Union referendum campaign

Words
Emily Gosling
—
Date
26 April 2016
A typographic poster in blue and red text on a white background. It reads “A once in a generation decision. Be sure not to miss your vote.” and instructs viewers to “Register online until June 07” at a government website.
A blue gradient background with white text. A large headline reads “What is lost is lost forever.” Smaller text below explains the importance of the UK remaining in Europe and urges the reader to “Register to vote! before June 07”.

Wolfgang Tillmans’ latest project is a political one, creating a series of poster designs that aim to persuade people to vote to stay in the European Union at this year’s referendum. The artist is usually known for his photography work, with a recent show at David Zwirner in New York that explored ideas including sex and finding beauty in small, unexpected details. In 2000, he becamse the first ever photographer to win the Turner Prize

The series of posters use a simple typographic approach to spell out his reasons for wanting to remain in the EU. In a statement on his website, Tillmans says: “The official ‘Remain’ campaign feels lame and is lacking in passion. It also lacks an active drive to get voters registered – and with the deadline already falling two weeks before the referendum, this should be an urgent priority.

“I want to get involved and actively campaign. In particular, I want to work towards maximising turnout among younger voters by focusing on the first, crucial step: voter registration…Everyone’s grannies registered their vote long ago, but students no longer get automatically registered by their unis. This is because of a new law brought in by the Conservatives that makes it possible for them to disenfranchise up to 800,000 students, who as a group tend to move around a lot more and so drop off the voter register easily.”

Tillman designed the posters with his London and Berlin studio assistants, working with Between Bridges. Each image is available to download from his website as a PDF or jpeg for people to print or share on social media. He says: “I consider them open-source, you can take my name tag off if more appropriate.”

A typographic poster with white text over a soft, blurred gradient of purple and blue. The main headline reads, “If people like Rupert Murdoch, Nigel Farage, George Galloway, Nick Griffin, and Marine Le Pen want Britain to leave the E.U.” The bottom half asks, “Where does that put you?” alongside a call to register to vote before “June 07”.
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Wolfgang Tillmans: EU Remain poster

A text-based poster over a photograph of a dark sea at sunset. The white text reads “This vote is not about bureaucracy. Not about things that don’t work well, that are still flawed. This vote is about our core values, about saying yes or no to democracy, human rights and solidarity. Pick your side.”
A typographic poster in blue and white reads “BE AWARE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO LEAVE THE E.U.”. Below, a list warns that leaving will “DISSOLVE THE LARGEST PEACE PROJECT IN HUMAN HISTORY”, “SUPPORT A RIGHT-WING MOVEMENT” and “UNDO TRADE TREATIES FOR YEARS TO COME”.
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Wolfgang Tillmans: EU Remain poster

A bold typographic poster reads “Say you’re in if you’re in.” Smaller text below encourages people to register to vote in the EU Referendum before “June 07.”
A bold orange poster with white serif text reads “The E.U. is a big trading club in which the members set the rules.” It continues to argue that if the UK leaves, it will still follow the rules without having a say in making them. At the bottom, a call to action reads “Have your say.” Smaller text provides the referendum date of 23 June and a government website for voter registration.
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Wolfgang Tillmans: EU Remain poster

A typographic poster in green and grey reads “Your opinion about the E.U. only counts if you’ve registered to vote before the 7th of June”. A smaller block of text to the right urges the reader to register, describing the EU as the “largest peace project in human history”.
A typographic poster against a muted grey and blue sky. Large white text reads “Rupert Murdoch can buy the British government.” and “But not a union of 28 countries.” Smaller text in the centre discusses the UK leaving Europe and urges the reader to “Register to vote before June 07”.
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Wolfgang Tillmans: EU Remain poster

A text-based poster on a pale purple background. It features a personal account of a Polish friend using the EU flag to protest an authoritarian government, ending with the question, “Do you want to leave them alone? Now?”. Smaller text at the bottom provides details for the EU referendum on 23 June.
White text on a black background asks “WHO WANTS TO LEAVE WHY?”. Below, a quote describes Rupert Murdoch’s opposition to the European Union, claiming he is listened to at Downing Street but ignored in Brussels. The bottom of the image provides voter registration instructions and a government website link.
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Wolfgang Tillmans: EU Remain poster

A yellow poster with black text reads “The effects of leaving the E.U. for students:”. It explains that funded opportunities like Erasmus and work placements will diminish if the UK leaves the EU. Smaller text at the bottom states the EU referendum is on 23 June and provides a government website to register to vote.
A typographic poster with white text on a dark, moody background. It reads “Democracy, peace and human rights have many enemies. Don’t make them stronger. Only as a united Europe can we stand in their way.” A final call to action reads “Have your say. Register to vote by 7th June.”
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Left

Wolfgang Tillmans: EU Remain poster

Black text on a white background. The text reads, “Marine Le Pen of the French Front National knows the significance of Brexit. She equalled it to the Fall of the Berlin Wall – the beginning of the end of the EU. The collapse of European unity is a goal that she shares with one of her party’s paymasters Vladimir Putin and many other European far-right movements.”

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Further Info

www.tillmans.co.uk

About the Author

Emily Gosling

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Emily joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in the summer of 2014 after four years at Design Week. She is particularly interested in graphic design, branding and music. After working It's Nice That as both Online Editor and Deputy Editor, Emily left the company in 2016.

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