2012 is a unique year for co-operatives across the world –the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives. With 1.4 million co-operative businesses across the globe giving people an equal say and sharing their profits the Year is an opportunity to lift the lid on one of the world's biggest secrets.
To mark the start of the International Year of Co-operatives – which is being launched in the UK with a live broadcast here on the Guardian website on Thursday 12 January – Co-operatives UK has commissioned the update of a classic co-operative image.
In 1943 the front cover of the Co-operative Wholesale Society's magazine, The Wheatsheaf, featured a striking image of co-operation saving civilisation (see below) Published during wartime Britain, at a time when working together kept Britain alive, this was an iconic image representing the significance of co-operation to the country.
Today, in the wake of a financial crisis, co-operatives are enjoying a renaissance as they once again give a helping hand to civilisation, with a key role to play role in rebuilding the British economy and creating a better world.
For the International Year of Co-operatives, Co-operatives UK – the trade association for co-operative enterprises – commissioned Tom Humberstone, an award winning artist, to recreate this iconic image.
As Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives UK explains, "we couldn't have done this poster in 2005 or 2006 – it's significance lies in the fact that co-operation is once again offering an answer, this time not to a country coming in a major war but to the problems that have arisen from shareholder capitalism."
The poster is the latest in a long line of iconic imagery and art from the co-operative sector.
For Gillian Lonergan, Head of Heritage Resources at The Co-operative College, "The co-operative movement has a long history of using strong images of working together.
"During the second world war, illustrations like this one were produced showing co-operation as the way forward. The National Co-operative Archive's collections include many such images and it is good to see this one being redrawn, demonstrating the timeless nature of the concept and its resonance with current conditions.
As Tom Humberstone explains: "In recent years I've become increasingly drawn to comic reportage as a form of documenting and responding to the world we live in.
"There's a wonderful Miro quote: "I understand that an artist is someone who, in the midst of other's silence, uses his own voice to say something and who makes sure that what he says is not useless but something that is useful to mankind". That struck a chord with me as it was something I felt I needed to do more.
"Being asked to update this poster for Co-operatives UK was a wonderful opportunity to do just that and encourage people to think about how they run their businesses in this economic climate using a confrontational and challenging image."
The poster can be downloaded here
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