Here we have an uber-rare political poster entitled “Contra Cocaine” by the infamous street artist Robbie Canal. Subtlety is a fine virtue and found nowhere on this beast. He’s large, in charge, and address him as “sarge.” Screaming political via the street art revolution. Let’s dive right into it.
Here’s some more background on this explosion of a poster:
Artist: Robbie Conal is an American street artist known for his satirical and politically charged posters. He became prominent in the 1980s, often targeting politicians and public figures. His style is characterized by black-and-white portraits with exaggerated features, often accompanied by a single, powerful phrase.
Subject Matter: The "Contra Cocaine" poster directly references the Iran-Contra affair, a major political scandal during the Reagan administration in the 1980s. The scandal involved senior administration officials secretly facilitating the sale of arms to Iran (which was under an arms embargo) and then diverting the profits to fund the Contras, a right-wing militant group in Nicaragua, despite a congressional ban on such aid.
The "Cocaine" Connection: The "cocaine" part of the slogan refers to allegations that the Contras were involved in drug trafficking to fund their operations. These claims were widely discussed in the media and became a major part of the public's perception of the scandal. Conal's poster succinctly and graphically unloads on the situation.
Street Art: Conal's posters were primarily created for "guerrilla" art installations. He and his team would wheatpaste them on public walls and buildings, often at night, making them an immediate and accessible form of political commentary.
The rare vintage poster came out of an old estate in the Twin Cities. I believe this is a later version of the original from the 1980s.
The Robbie Canal poster is attached to a backing board via adhesive. The poster measures 31" tall by 22" wide. There is wear from age, storage and the attachment to the backing board. There are a few corners where the adhesive is giving way. Still a powerful piece. Please see all pics as they are part of the description.
I will ship the poster FedEx to street addresses in the continental USA (no PO Boxes). Free shipping on the street art poster.
A revolution of an image.
