Pictured above: Students may purchase their own copies of posters from this collection.
Courtesy of Gavin Hadro | The Crow’s Nest
The School of Art & Art History welcomed internationally acclaimed illustrator and graphic designer Mirko Ilič to Harbor Hall for the opening of the USF “Tolerance Project” exhibit on Nov. 9.
Ilič’s work ranges from fine art displayed at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York to commercial designs found in children’s books and the Holocaust Museum at Auschwitz.
In the lecture preceding the opening, Ilič spoke about his expansive career as a freelancer and as creative director for Time Magazine International Edition and the op-ed pages of The New York Times.
He described how his background as an artist in Communist Yugoslavia shaped his art before moving to the U.S. and elaborated on his recent work on themes like social isolation, political activism and, of course, tolerance.
Ilič wants his most recent project to be accessible and understandable to people everywhere.
The Tolerance Project has been exhibited 121 times in 37 countries.
The posters are graphic interpretations of the word “tolerance” from over 100 different artists in their native language.
When asked why he chose tolerance as the theme as opposed to inclusion or a similar subject, Ilič said, “without tolerance, there is no inclusion.”
Though much of the concern in places like the U.S. is on equal inclusion of social groups, he pointed out that “in places like Tehran… just tolerance is a dream.” He mentioned LGBTQ+ persons, who in numerous countries are not only excluded, but also executed for their sexual orientation.
The concise messages in these graphics provide viewers perspective on what tolerance means to those that believe in it, and challenges them to think about their own perception of the concept.
The wide variety provided in the collection is testament to how Ilič remains open to unconventional takes on the subject.
Professors and students alike are glad to see the first exhibit in the newly-renovated Harbor Hall gallery be inaugurated with such talent. “We are very proud to present the tolerance project as our first exhibition in the Hall gallery,” Professor Erika Greenberg-Schneider said.
The posters will remain on display until Jan. 14, 2022.
Posters from the project are on sale until Nov. 19 for $10. All proceeds go to the Graphic Arts program. Email egreenbe@usf.edu the desired image and Venmo $10 to @Erika-Schneiderand it will be ready for pickup Dec. 6.
