The Scarab Club, a Midtown Detroit arts club and gallery, is presenting a new exhibition titled "Paper, Place, Power: The Global Language of Posters," showcasing poster art that spans music, movies, social justice, and politics. The works are drawn from local collections including Signal Return, Wayne State, 1xRun, and the Black Canon, with an international perspective contributed by L.A.-based Poster Territory, covering subjects like the environment and the war in Ukraine. The free exhibition runs until October 5, and a related talk by Es-pranza Humphrey, assistant curator at New York City's Poster House, is scheduled for a Wednesday evening.
This exhibition matters because it elevates poster art from ephemeral advertising to a serious medium reflecting culture, history, and identity. By bringing together local and international collections, the Scarab Club highlights how posters have been used for centuries as tools of expression, protest, and promotion, offering an accessible entry point for audiences to engage with and collect art. The show underscores the role of community arts organizations in preserving and interpreting visual culture, particularly in Detroit's evolving cultural landscape.