Marc Rudin (1945-2023) was a Swiss artist and graphic designer who later became known under the name Jihad Mansour. Born in Zurich in 1947, he initially worked as a graphic designer in Switzerland during the 1960s and early 1970s. During this period, he became progressively more involved with left-wing political movements and various activist circles. He was also a musician playing folkloric music in Switzerland when he first made contact with Palestinian activists and was made aware of their cause. He was already creating graphic design and posters with activist intentions which was to accelerate with his first visit to Lebanon in 1976.
During this first trip to the Levant, Rudin created his first posters for Palestinian political movements. He became particularly known for creating political posters and propaganda art for Palestinian organizations, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Fiercely dedicated to the anti-Zionist cause, his posters were used for various commemorations and political struggles including Land Day, memorials to Ghassan Kanafani, and as calls for the release of Palestinian prisoners. His artistic style often incorporated bold colors and strong graphic elements characteristic of revolutionary political art.
In 1979, Rudin was condemned in absentia for an organized attack against the IMEF bank in Freiburg. For the next eleven years, he lived in exile between Beirut and Damascus, working closely with the PFLP on various projects under the pseudonym Jihad Mansour. His work from this period focused on Palestinian themes and the struggle for Palestinian rights, combining modernist graphic design techniques with traditional Arab artistic elements. The posters he created became widely recognized within the context of Palestinian political art and propaganda of the late 20th century.
In 1982, during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, Rudin participated in the defensive battles of Beirut along with the Palestinian fighters. After the fall of Beirut, he was evacuated to Damascus along with the other regiments. In the 1990’s he served a prison sentence in Denmark for a robbery and returned to Switzerland after his release. He settled in Zürich and dedicated himself to pedagogy, teaching type history, typography and color theory with dedication and competence. He continued being active and making posters for left-wing causes through the end of his life.
