Australia Surf Club
Artist
Gert Sellheim
(Australian - German, 1901 - 1970)
Datec 1936
Object number00008654
NamePoster
MediumColour lithograph on paper
DimensionsOverall: 1250 × 900 mm, 1.75 kg
Copyright© Nicholas Holger Sellheim
ClassificationsPosters and postcards
Credit LineANMM Collection
Collections
DescriptionThis poster advertising travel to Australia features a coloured lithographic image of Australian lifesavers. This poster promotes travel to Australia and its beaches by promoting Australian beach culture. Beaches and beach activities were popular subjects for the artists working for the Australian National Travel Association. Posters commissioned for the ANTA commonly used scenes of popular Australian icons to promote travel.
HistoryThe Australian National Travel Association (ANTA) was formed in 1929 to promote Australia as a tourist destination around the world through advertising. To communicate its message to a world that knew little of Australia, the ANTA produced posters with striking imagery and simple slogans representing Australia as a desirable tourist destination.
Posters were the main promotion medium for the ANTA, which developed extensive network overseas and had representatives in England, the United Sates and later New Zealand, Canada, India, China, Japan and France.
Gert Sellheim, (1901-1970) born in Estonia, studied Architecture in Berlin. He migrated to Australia in 1926 and began producing travel posters in 1931.Sellheim went on to design iconic posters that represent Australian culture and society, Sellheim created recognisable works such as an Aboriginal two shilling stamp in 1948 and the flying kangaroo logo for Qantas.SignificanceThis poster is a vivid symbol of an era when Australia undertook an aggressive campaign of promotion. Commissioned by the Australian National Travel Association to promote travel to Australia, this work represents Australia as a desirable tourist destination by evoking popular and iconic images of Australian beach culture. This poster is representative of the work by well known poster artist, Gert Sellheim.
