February 2011 Archives
What's with the apparent inability of the French to express the unique appeal of their country in a graphical manner? It's not like they weren't once the world leaders at this. Think of those captivating posters for Parisian cabarets from the early years of the 20th century, travel posters from the Jazz Age for transatlantic liners, advertisements for exotic drinks or just about anything. To a great extent the world's continuing desire to flock to France for a vacation is still driven by these mythic images, the expression of a vibrant, confident culture. But myths they are, and long-dead ones at that, judging from the current inability of the French to rise above the level of graphical banality when trying to convince us that France remains a land of sophistication and savoir faire.
