Photography and fascism in interwar Europe developed into a highly toxic
and combustible formula. Particularly in concert with aggressive display
techniques, the European fascists were utterly convinced of their
ability to use the medium of photography to manufacture consent among
their publics. Unfortunately, as we know in hindsight, they succeeded.
Other dictatorial regimes in the 1930s harnessed this powerful
combination of photography and exhibitions for their own odious
purposes. But this book, for the first time, focuses on the particularly
consequential dialectic between Germany and Italy in the early-to-mid
1930s, and within each of those countries vis-à-vis display culture.
The 1930s provides a potent case study for every generation, and it is
as urgent as ever in our global political environment to deeply
understand the central role of visual imagery in what transpired.
Photofascism demonstrates precisely how dictatorial regimes use
photographic mass media, methodically and in combination with display,
to persuade the public with often times highly destructive-even
catastrophic-results.