Petite Planete Poster: Chris Marker

By the early 1950s, as Chris Marker took his first steps into cinema, he was also working on the Petite Planète series. Envisioned as an “instruction manual for living on a small planet”, the series explored how nations and cultures remember their past and envision their future. Marker's focus on the human element was evident. He encouraged readers to look beyond their preconceptions, urging them to see the world through an unbiased lens. The first issue on Austria was published in 1954 by the French publishing house Éditions du Seuil.

Visually, the series is a treat. Each issue, bathed in a distinct color, showcases a female visage on its cover, echoing Marker's captivation with Carl Dreyer's film The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928). This recurring focus, which runs throughout Marker’s work, is just one aspect of the series' innovative visual design. Jason Simon, 2006 limited edition poster. 36 x 26 inches.