Ice Skating Ball
Hungarian title:
Peches ember ne menjen a jégre, de te szerencsés vagy, mert a Magyar Ifjúság Nép Szövetsége budapesti vezetőségea Városligeti Műjégen, 1949 Január hó 9-én, este 8 órakor Jégbált rendez
Artist:
aBa
Size:
A1 1 Sheet (cca. 84 x 59 cm)
Year:
1949
Condition:
Fine, light fold marks and wear.
Material:
Paper, offset lithography.
Price: US$6000
Description:
The poster advertises an Ice Ball in Budapest in 1949. The humorous slogan says:
Unlucky people shouldn't go on ice...
But you are lucky because the
Budapest leadership of the Hungarian Young People’s League
on 1949 January 9 at 8 PM
organizes an Ice Ball
The Hungarian Young People’s League was the forerunner of the Union of Working Youth that later transformed into the Hungarian Young Communist League. It existed between 1948 and 1950 and was established as a result of the communist restructuring of the Hungarian politics. The Communist Party completely took over in 1949, but they had several actions done prior to that, in order to provide a stable background for their subsequent victory. The Hungarian Young People’s League was the communist successor of the youth organizations of various parties. It played an important role in nationalizing the schools and spreading the labour movement, and it also organized the World Festival of Youth and Students, an international, leftist youth event in Budapest in 1949. The activities, philosophy and the reason for existence of the organization marks the beginning of the Socialist era.
The new political regime did not leave poster design intact as the communist system regarded it as one of the most effective propaganda tools. However, the dark years of the obligatory socialist realist style only started in 1950, a year after this poster was published, therefore this piece packed with artistic quality is a document of an era on the verge of drastic changes.
The posters of the post-war and pre-socialist period intended to have carefree atmosphere and allude to the enjoyment of life in order to fulfil people’s longing for getting back to a normal, peaceful life after the stormy years of war.
The decorative poster projects happiness and content with the easy-going, playful image. The composition is very precise, based on the contrasts between the colours and the rhythmic alternation of the plain and solid elements and the effects achieved by the positive and negative blocks.
The text on the piece informs the audience about the figure skating performers and the detailed program of the show: Ice cabaret, waltz and, funny dances and the performance of the finest Hungarian figure skaters. After the show the ball begins with torchlight procession. The entrance fee includes raffle, fireworks and dance.
After these the ball will begin with a torchlight procession
