Rose Picón, Staff Writer

While walking through downtown, you may be pleasantly surprised to pass an illustrated poster that is not simply an advertisement screaming at you to buy a product. This poster is not created for the purpose of manipulation; rather, it reveals something about the Syracuse community. It may focus on the essence of Syracuse’s seasons, the joys of jazz music, or the rapture of New York’s rolling hills. Or, it may point out the problems of city life and attendant environmental issues. All the posters, however, enliven the city with their colorful, artistic designs and feature a haiku, a three-line form of poetry.

The person largely responsible for their existence is Jim Emmons, the co-founder of the Syracuse Poster Project. In 1992, Emmons noticed large poster panels being put up in the city. “I hoped they would be used in an artistic way to raise awareness of environmental issues or promote the City’s cultural venues,” Emmons remembers. He was deeply disappointed when he learned that these were to display only advertisements. So, he began devoting his attention to using the real estate in a more productive way.

Emmons bounced an idea off of Laurie Reed, the director of marketing for the Downtown Committee of Syracuse, and persuaded her that posters would be a great use for the panels. He next convinced the Downtown Committee to loan him the money for the project, ensuring them that all the funds would be returned through poster print sales.

The question to answer, then, was which type of artistic medium would be displayed?

In 1997, the Syracuse New Times had begun an annual contest, inviting Syracuse-themed haiku submissions. Knowing its success, Emmons decided haiku would be the foundation for the posters, and in 2001, he began a community-wide solicitation in the summers. Artwork, which was reflective of the poetry, would then be drawn around the haiku. For this, he enlisted the help of Roger De Muth, an Associate Professor at Syracuse University, and his senior illustration students. 

Today, De Muth receives 200 or so haikus each year from about 30 poets. Each of his students chooses one haiku to illustrate – a challenging process, given De Muth has 20-40 students and 200 entries. The students then start the creative process, using digital or traditional media, and follow whichever direction the poem takes them. Some students even call the writers and ask what they were thinking when they created the haiku. The process usually takes about three weeks to complete. Once finished, an informal selection committee narrows the field further and selects 16 posters to place in the panels that are scattered throughout the city.

Just recently, the 2011 posters were unveiled and will soon be hung in the 43”x 62” panels on Salina and Warren Streets for the next year. “It’s always nice to have the posters to remember the students who have graduated and left the university,” De Muth reflects.

Visit Syracuse Poster Project to see the newest additions to the collection. If you’re interested in supporting their operations, 11” x 17” prints are also available for sale.