Bettina Richter and Alessia Contin, curators at the Museum für Gestaltung (Museum of Design) in Zurich, have chosen to include 32 posters created by Belgrade designer Slavimir Futro into their permanent collection. This archive is widely regarded as one of the most prominent and significant poster collections in the world, both in terms of its scope and cultural importance. Among the selected works are five posters designed by Futro for Yugoslav Drama Theatre productions between 2008 and 2011, specifically for the plays Born in YU, Hysteria, A Drama about Mirjana and Those Around Her, By the Bog of Cats, and Notes from Underground.
A vital part of the Yugoslav Drama Theatre’s heritage and the artistic culture it nurtures across all fields of visual expression (set design, costume design, videos) lies in poster designs and other forms of graphic communication. Placing a strong emphasis on overall visual identity, particularly since the mid-1980s under the leadership of artistic director Jovan Ćirilov, the Yugoslav Drama Theatre has consistently fostered a distinct, highly recognizable, and uniquely author-driven approach to graphic communication by collaborating with top-tier creators.
Posters for Yugoslav Drama Theatre productions have been created by the best Yugoslav and Serbian fine artists and designers, including Mića Popović, Vladislav Lalicki, Bata Knežević, Željko Zorica, the Sarajevo-based design studio TRIO, and most notably, Slobodan and Saveta Mašić, as well as Mirko Ilić, one of the world’s leading contemporary designers.
Within this selected circle, and across numerous theatre seasons, Slavimir Stojanović Futro—one of the most prominent Serbian designers of all time—has contributed his distinctive artistic and graphic vision to YDT’s renowned visual culture. For his posters for YDT productions, Slavimir has received numerous accolades, including this latest international recognition.