Produced amidst the radical fervour of the May 1968 Paris uprisings, this image is a striking example of the Atelier Populaire’s revolutionary output. Created collectively by students and workers, the Atelier Populaire prints were not mere visual artefacts, but tools of dissent, conceived in the occupied École des Beaux-Arts. They channelled the discontent of a generation challenging oppressive political systems, mirroring a turbulent moment in history when authority was relentlessly questioned and civil rebellion became a form of creativity.
This image lists the names of four figures synonymous with authoritarianism—Patakos, Salazar, Franco, and de Gaulle—spelling out their alignment in their perceived role as figures of political or ideological repression. Its raw, stencilled letters, layered with rhythmic precision, are emblematic of the Atelier’s unpolished yet deeply intentional aesthetic. Through simplicity of form and clarity of message, it encapsulates the power of collective action, offering poignant insight into the intersection of art and resistance during a period of profound social upheaval.