The Political Posters of Thomas W. Benton

Poster House is thrilled to welcome Daniel Joseph Watkins for a discussion on the powerful anti-war and pro-environment beliefs of the artist Thomas W. Benton.

Watkins’s talk will highlight Benton’s collaborations with Gonzo Journalist Hunter S. Thompson as well as the larger body of political posters Benton created in the 1960s and 70s. Watkins’s first book, Thomas W. Benton: Artist/Activist, illuminated the breadth of Benton’s artistic output with a focus on powerful graphic posters created by the talented silkscreen printmaker. From protests against the Vietnam War to the celebration of the first Earth Day in 1970, Benton catalogued important movements during this pivotal period in America’s history.

Daniel Joseph Watkins is a writer, producer, and director based in Aspen, Colorado. Watkins runs the publishing company Meat Possum Press and serves as director of the Gonzo Gallery where he has curated over fifty shows and manages traveling museum exhibitions.