The Silent WEst

Featuring highlights of American West–themed posters from the silent film era, The Silent West showed the varied range of the industry prior to “talkies” and the consolidation of the studio system. The posters showcased a stunning art form in a remarkable era of commercial lithography. 

This small exhibition also revealed the cinematic West of the 1910s and 1920s to be quite modern, engaging topics still relevant to the real West. Although a large proportion of silent films themselves are lost, the posters reflect film artists and entrepreneurs experimenting with a new medium. Women and people of color served as writers, directors, stunt performers, and other creators in greater numbers than in later movies.

This was a temporary exhibition at the Autry Museum, Los Angeles, CA.

Team:

Curators: Josh Garrett-Davis,
Exhibition Designer: Alex Leary
Head Preparator: Mark Jones
Media Specialist: Anton Lieberman

Role:

Exhibition design, Graphic design