"TADANORI YOKOO - “Word/Image” Exhibition Poster – MoMA, New York", Japanese Contemporary Art Poster, Original Silk Screen 1968, Ultra Rare, Size (c.44 x 124cm)
*Please note the price is fixed for this item. It is not included in any of our periodic sales (e.g. Black Friday)!*
This is an original Japanese silk screen poster printed in the 1968. This poster is ultra rare and is displayed in the world`s most prestigious galleries such as MoMA in New York City. It is very difficult / almost impossible to find in any condition. This poster is in an excellent near mint condition - it was stored in a dark storage space for over 57 years, therefore the colours remain extremely vivid!
https://post.moma.org/yokoo-tadanori-and-the-sogetsu-art-center/
This is an exceptional example of Tadanori Yokoo’s 1968 Word/Image exhibition poster, created for the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Printed for a landmark show that helped legitimize poster art as a serious form of graphic communication, this poster is considered one of the most iconic and influential designs of the 20th century.
Poster Details
Designer: Tadanori Yokoo
Exhibition: Word and Image: Posters from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art
Venue: The Museum of Modern Art, New York
Dates: January 24 – March 10, 1968
Publisher: Poster Originals Ltd., No. 89
Condition: Excellent to Near Mint — beautifully preserved with vibrant, unfaded Day-Glo colors and minimal signs of handling
Design & Concept
Yokoo’s design is a masterclass in minimalist psychedelic composition. The top section displays four vibrantly colored open mouths (symbolizing "word"), while the bottom is dominated by a massive blue eye (symbolizing "image"). These bold forms are set against a dramatic black background and radiating red-and-blue sunburst field.
By eliminating internal typography (save for the title and show details at top and bottom), the design achieves powerful visual clarity. The palette of neon pink, crimson, and electric blue nods to both American pop art and the Japanese rising sun, making this an enduring icon of late-60s visual culture.
About the Artist: Tadanori Yokoo
Often compared to Andy Warhol and Peter Max, Tadanori Yokoo was an avant-garde force in 1960s Japanese graphic design. This MoMA poster was his first major American commission—launched while he was still relatively unknown internationally. His work blends surreal montage, bold color, and socio-political symbolism, redefining posters as a serious art form.
Significance & Rarity
This isn’t just a poster—it’s a museum-grade artwork that marked a turning point in graphic design history. While not exceedingly rare, copies in excellent condition are highly collectible. Interest in Yokoo’s early works surged after a 1965 poster sold for $52,800 in 2013, sparking renewed global demand.
Why This Poster Matters
- Represents the first major international poster retrospective held in the U.S.
- A landmark collaboration between MoMA and an emerging graphic visionary
- A dazzling visual statement that remains fresh, loud, and conceptually sharp
- Essential for collectors of modernist, pop, and Japanese graphic design
A museum-worthy piece of design history—explosive, iconic, and unmistakably Yokoo.
Please refer to the imagery (both front and back) as this is the exact poster that is for sale.
It is over 57 years old!
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
Certificate of Authenticity included.
