Update: Prints from this show are now online and available to purchase! Visit the store right here.
Infographics have become a staple in today’s media. We look at them to learn about all of Batman’s villains, to understand the relationships in Game of Thrones, and to study surprising trends in science and social media. Despite the fancy name, they’re just illustrated charts, and those have been around for at least one hundred years. To honor that history, artists Tom Whalen and Kevin Tong (you may recognize their names from Mondo posters) are opening the “Info•Rama” exhibit at Phone Booth Gallery this weekend in Long Beach, California!
“Info•Rama” is purposely scheduled to open near the beginning of the school year because the artists specifically created images that could be displayed in classrooms. They’re combining both art and information on their images and offering educators discounts on prints from the show. They would definitely be different than the educational posters I remember, and I think it is more likely that kids will actually notice and absorb them.
What kind of information will their art present? Tong’s created a colored guide to human anatomy and an illustrated history of the USS Los Angeles Zeppelin airship. Whalen’s designed a guide to the first transcontinental railroad and an explanation of the life and habits of the stegosaurus. Those are just a few examples of art that will be included in the gallery.
In advance of the show’s opening, Whalen and Tong were kind enough to share two exclusive infographics with us. We’ll take one of each, please.
Zeppelin
Transcontinental Railroad
Still have a relentless thirst for knowledge? You can take a closer look at a few of the show’s other pieces in the gallery below.
The show kicks off at Phone Booth Gallery this Saturday, August 23, with an all-ages reception from 7-10:00pm. The exhibit will remain on display through September 17. If you can’t make it to Long Beach to see the art in person, it will also be available to view online.
Which poster is your favorite? What would you like to see get the Tong and Whalen infographic treatment? Let us know in the comments below.
