(Parsons/Otis poster) (Cipe Pineles)

At the turn of the last century, the California citrus growers began to ship their product to points throughout the country. This created stiff competition and companies struggled to gain newly opened markets, from coast to coast. California artists rose to the challenge of promoting this major new product by creating a wealth of imaginative and colorful labels to distinguish citrus fruits from California, as well as those from individual farms. So that’s what these illustrations by Janet Amendola made under the direction of Cipe Pineles are all referencing. It’s a beautiful showing that ties together an apple for the Parsons School of Design in New York; an orange for its sister school Otis/Parsons in LA, and grapes for Parsons at the American College in Paris. It also acknowledges the fact that a design can expire as it includes the following line: “When you get tired of this poster on your wall, cut the labels apart and paste them onto your orange crates.” Smart. Smart. Smart.