175th Anniversary Poster

Centennial - 1937                                                       Demisemiseptcentennial - 2012

About the graphic . . .
      The poster is meant to be pan-temporal, drawing together a few elements of the past and present while referencing the future. The sunburst design has been seen in images of Aurora since at least 1910 and is ubiquitous today as the logo of the city. It's evocation of light is appropriate for the City of Lights as well as for a city named after the Goddess of Dawn and possibly the Aurora Borealis. In this poster the ray design appears not just in the sky but underfoot, the way farm fields can appear to the eye when driving.
      In the far distance is the faint silhouette of the Chicago skyline, a tangible presence for most of our history, and the only Illinois city larger than Aurora. The middle-ground skyline of Aurora presents factories, the Paramount Arts Centre, the Leland Building, and the Hobbs building, chosen to represent industry, the arts, technical achievement and international influences, respectively. Both of these silhouettes, as well as other elements in the poster, are deliberate references back to the elegantly formal 1937 poster created for the centennial of the city.
      A Wright Flyer recalls the first heavier-than-air manned flight in Illinois which caused a sensation when it took place in Aurora in 1910. Meanwhile, high above, a modern jetliner and its contrail go almost unnoticed, a sight so commonplace in 2012 we hardly even notice it.
      In elemental ways the Fox River is the true mother of the city of Aurora. While the mills and industries that drew their life from the river are long gone today, the kayaker who is one with the river and the bridge which vaults people and cars over it point to how nature and human activity have formed and reformed this place. The street lamps are instantly recognizable as a reference to 1881 and Aurora's innovative spirit, helping to introduce electric street lighting to a dazzled nation. The Zephyr train, that stylish silver dream that has perhaps never been surpassed as pure design, stands for the long railroad history of our town, including the veritable United Nations of workers attracted here by it and the commerce and travel it brought. The Art Deco typeface used on the poster is a link with the centennial poster.
      Finally, Aurora, the Goddess of Dawn, appears in direct parallel to the red-robed centennial goddess. Brilliant and beautiful, she surveys the city's history with serenity. As a demi-god, after all, she has seen it all. She is still crowned with stars and holds the laurel wreath of antiquity, but now in her right hand she carries an iPhone, the most prolific and specific iconic item of 2012. Her gaze falls gently on the man and the children behind her. Is she merely pausing to watch their delight in Aurora history, merely approving of the father's devotion and the children’s exuberance and energy, all of which bode so well for the future? Or is she waiting for them? Patiently, as befits a guardian and guide. Patiently, but she is almost ready to turn and take the next step.

About the artist . . .
      Neal Ormond IV is a 1997 graduate of West Aurora High School and principal of the firm NAO Design (www.naodesign.com).