The UK’s first vintage poster market is to launch as a 3-day pop-up at the Copeland Gallery in Peckham 14-16 May. Entry is free.
For anybody with a love of mid-century pop culture, interiors, art and graphic design, this will be the ultimate shopping experience. The curated event brings together eight leading independent vintage poster dealers in a contemporary warehouse space in the heart of Peckham, each bursting with passion and knowledge for their own distinct poster specialism and aesthetic.
Find iconic pop, rock and film classics alongside Soviet era Communist posters, quirky French factory health & safety posters, and the bold wry wit of the Polish School of Posters.
Visitors (four-legged friends included!) will be able to explore a series of interconnected gallery rooms hosted by Twentieth Century Prints, Projekt 26, Rock Paper Film and Travel on Paper and a central shared market space with more traders to discover. There will be plenty of opportunity to enjoy the ritual vintage market treasure hunt for bargains if your budget doesn’t stretch to rare collector’s pieces.
All posters are authentic originals, with unique character and appeal. Digital printing just can’t compete with the imperfect beauty and rich colours of offset lithography.
“Nothing beats seeing vintage posters in real life; the vibrant colours, the offset printing, the texture of the paper; even the marks of time and the stories they tell… to be able to see so many posters from different art movements on display at the same time will be very special”
Harriet Williams, Projekt 26 (event founder)
Vintage art is a wonderful way to add personality and style to a home. There are so many different elements to relate to – whether your favourite film, actor, band or artist – it’s always possible to find a poster which means something special to you.
As posters were printed in strict runs for display, originals do not survive in huge numbers which can make some designs very collectible. Not only will a vintage poster cheer your wall, it could also be a great investment. But as every good poster dealer will tell you, it’s always best to just follow your heart.
“Why fork out for mass produced wall art, when you could spend (less) on a rare original poster with retro charm, graphic impact and intrinsic value.”
Caitlin Graham, Rock Paper Film
The idea for this bespoke vintage poster market came from Harriet and Sylwia who run Projekt 26 and are passionate experts on the Polish School of Posters. The opportunity came up to hire the Copeland Gallery after lockdown and they fell in love with the space and couldn’t resist the idea of filling it with vintage posters.
“We’ve never organised something like this before but we were blown away by the positive response from fellow traders… there isn’t a show like this at the moment and hopefully the public will love it for that reason too. It’s like the affordable art fair just had a vintage baby sister!”
Sylwia Newman, Projekt 26 (event organiser)
Get ready to fall in love with this soulful and sustainable art medium.
Exhibitors confirmed so far:
Projekt 26 | Vintage Polish Posters
Run by British/Polish duo Harriet and Sylwia, this is the only UK poster store dedicated to the Polish School of Posters – a hugely influential and unique graphic design movement from the post-war period when Poland was under Communist rule. Expect highly original, bold, colourful designs which are full of soul and meaning, by Poland’s best 20th century artists.
Rock Paper Film | Music and Film Posters (Investment pieces)
Runby Caitlin Graham, a leading expert in Vintage Posters and Entertainment Memorabilia, with a decade of experience at international auction houses. Rock Paper Film specialises in movie and music posters from the 1920s to 1980s and offers a carefully curated collection of quality investment pieces featuring the most iconic titles and outstanding examples of design. This will be the first time Rock Paper Film’s stunning collection will be available to shop in person.
Travel on Paper | Travel and Sport Posters
Run by Karen Lansdown – Travel on Paper has been dealing in original vintage travel posters for over 20 years. Based in her studio in Camberwell, Karen has an extensive and beautifully curated range of mid-century airline, railway, coach, Olympic and sailing posters. Prices are affordable for collectors just starting out and there are also specialist pieces for those looking to add to an established collection.
