Iron Fists: Branding the 20th Century Totalitarian State

An illustrated history of propaganda art and design from Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, the USSR, and Communist China.

"The look of total control" according to Robin. A reasonable introduction to the way four totalitarian governments presented their public face. The book joins a slowly expanding library of titles dealing with State graphics in China, Germany, Italy and the Soviet Union. Steve Heller had an earlier look at Germany with his 2000 published book 'The Swastika: Symbol beyond redemption' and some of t. The enforcement mechanism of totalitarianism James D. Crabtree A fascinating book, Iron Fists looks at the way in which Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Soviet Russia and Mao's China created cultural environments which promoted the state through the use of what we now call branding. Lavishly illustrated with artwork and photographs the book also includes instructional material the regimes created in order to provi. "Heller never disappoints." according to Big Billy. Well depicted, and explained treatise on the graphic design in totalitarian states.Especially insightful was the intersection of the styles more broadly employed world wide.Those interested in graphic design and the people who capably labor in anonymity have a great champion in Steven Heller and his several collaborators.

He is author, co-author, and editor of over 90 books on design and popular culture. Steven Heller is the art director of the NY Times Book Review and co-chair of the MFA Design program at the School of Visual Arts. He is a contributing editor to PRINT, EYE, Baseline, and ID. He writes frequently for Metropolis and other design magazines. He is the edi

"A fascinating study of the power inherent in symbols and visual branding."-Creative Review "Heller's text throughout is splendid, neither assuming any prior knowledge of the history of these regimes nor pitching so low that it will bore the more informed reader Iron Fists is a powerful achievement, one that fascinates, and leaves the reader sickened and unnerved by the fascination."-Icon "Sophisticated and visually arresting Heller, by means of unsettling images and shrewd analysis, amply restores the vileness of branding Heller's prose is as clear and uncluttered as the graphic design he admires."-International Herald Tribune "The book looks amazing One opens the book with a genuine sense of seduced trepidation The great strength of this book lies in its coherence as an image essay, and you'd be hard-pushed to find such a comprehensive, considered display of documents that have shaped the modern political and cultural landscape Heller deserves considerable credit for this."-ArtReview