Posters for Chicory Week

Here’s the kind of project opportunity that I cannot say no to. And in the end, we created three amazing posters that capture the beauty and spirit of old fashioned Italian village food Sagras, this time celebrating radicchio. These greens (but sometimes purple or yellow) come from Italy, where they’re cultivated and celebrated for their bitter taste. Now a few folks, farmers and chefs want to bring radicchio to the Pacific Northwest. And a simple announcement wasn’t enough—how about a real food festival, a Sagra as they’re known in Italy, to introduce the possibilities this unique and versatile green brings. That event is happening in Seattle this November 2, 3, 4 and you can learn more here: www.chicoryweek.com

As the poster designer, my brief was this: create a poster series that celebrates, the unique colors and styles of the radicchio, and make it seem like they’re having fun! With the idea of a classic Italian Sagra on my mind, and hoping to take my cue from the vintage food posters of the early 20th Century, I turned to Leonetto Cappiello. You may not recognize his name, but I’m sure you’ve seen his posters. He’s the maker of all those wonderful beverage poster advertisements, like Vermouth and Campari. One of his trademarks is some sort of dancing nymph or jester, dancing and laughing. That’s when I got the idea of a chicory ballet! The wonderful colors and shapes of the produce will be dancing and posing, celebrating their introduction and rebirth here in Seattle.

Beautiful and classical was what I wanted. The complementary colors, greens, yellow, reds all contribute to a festive atmosphere. In the slide show, you’ll see what my prime point of inspiration was, and of course the final.

The event organizers have allowed me to make a some prints available for sale to my wider audience. Quantities are limited. You may pick a single, or the whole set. My typical custom framing option is available. Sagra di Radicchio Posters