Affischerna

Affischerna, literally meaning 'the posters' in Swedish, is a term used to refer to posters as a medium or to a body of poster work within Swedish-language contexts. The phrase can denote posters in general or a specific collection or tradition of poster design linked to a particular era, venue, or cultural movement.

Historically, posters in Sweden developed with advances in lithography and offset printing during the 19th and 20th centuries, enabling mass production. They were employed to advertise events, films, theatre, concerts, and public information campaigns, and public spaces such as streets, stations, and walls became prominent display venues. Poster campaigns could shape urban aesthetics, public behavior, and the dissemination of cultural life.

Design practice commonly emphasizes legibility, bold typography, and concise imagery, with color and composition chosen to grab attention at a distance. Printing evolved from hand-generated posters to modern digital production, and many examples are preserved in museums and archives to document stylistic trends and historical contexts. While digital media have reduced the primacy of physical affischer, they remain an important part of graphic design and visual culture.

In scholarship and curatorial work, Affischerna is studied as a facet of mass communication, advertising history, and urban culture. Collections and exhibitions illustrate how poster art recorded and contributed to social life, entertainment, and civic messaging, making the posters a lasting record of public life.