This is quite something. I think that there is an art (going beyond skill) for posters. Posters are more than mere advertisement; well these ones certainly seem to be that way and artists have worked in that field to earn a living. Warhol (whose work I wouldnt cross the street for) created mass produced art and that questions the meaning of posters beyond the superficial. As such, the poster is, perhaps, the greatest area of culture, in that it encapsulates not just art, but commerce and the societal issues; everything that contributes towards a culture.
These pictures seem to take that debate one step further. It questions societys tolerance of culture (if it can allow the poster to be ravaged in such a way). The theme appears to address the loss of faith that society has in itself, and, as such, the human condition as a whole.
What I like about this collection is that John allows the camera to do the talking and therefore there is a massive element of objectivity. It is difficult to say whether the picture of a decaying aspect of culture is pessimistic or optimistic. Each photograph seems to state simply that this is what is happening and the only subjective input is the choice of the pictures.