Paper Ambassadors: Chinese Political Posters in Australian Collections

Anxieties about influence and infiltration tend to prevail in current narratives of China in Australia, recalling a past era of geopolitical tension. China hawks may be surprised to learn, then, that substantial holdings of the ‘propaganda’ posters of that era can be found in collections across the country. Rather than a sinister plot to capture Australian hearts and minds, these are one legacy from a long history of connection. Largely collected in the 1970s, their provenance exemplifies the diplomatic rapprochement that defined this decade. This article traces the history of several significant collections of such material in Australian public collections, drawing from archival sources and conversations with those involved.