What the covers say: a graphic analysis of copies of the alternative newspaper De Fato (1976–1978)

Abstract

This article aims to elucidate how the graphic-editorial design of the covers of the alternative newspaper De Fato (1976–1978) in Minas Gerais communicated socio-politically engaged messages during Brazil’s civil-military dictatorship through technical and aesthetic elements. Thus, the study falls within the field of graphic memory, which identifies graphic artefacts as important materials in the construction of a history of design. The methodology adopted follows the assumptions of André Villas-Boas, who advocates the critical practice of graphic analysis of visual programming projects, considering both the organization of elements in the layout and the historical context. In the search for more in-depth knowledge, procedures from Gui Bonsiepe’s visual-verbal rhetoric were also used, applying concepts drawn from semantics to design. The results show that the design of the covers functioned as a visual translation of discourses permeated by social demands, driven by compositional strategies that demarcate the place of design in narrative disputes.