While in the Corner Bookstore last week for Michael Storrings' book signing, I saw the book Antoine's Alphabet: Watteau and His World by Jed Perl. The combination of the uncoated paper stock, cover image, and clean typography, created a beautiful package. But it may have been the placement of an old-style letter "A" that won me over.
“Covering all manifestations of printed graphics, this generously illustrated volume presents the posters, books, magazines, typography, packaging, and ephemera that represent today’s visual culture. Over 30 countries are represented and more than 1,500 images reveal the trends of today’s contemporary graphic design as it has evolved. The work of each of the 100 designers is spread over four pages and accompanied by a critical essay written by the relevant curator.” —Phaidon
5 years after the publication of Phadon’s Area, the new Area_2 picks up where the first volume left off. A panel of 10 curators, presents an eclectic representation of emerging graphic design talent from around the world in the past 5 years.
Area_2 is designed by the talented, Julia Hasting. The book design is subdued, but beautiful. “With such a breadth of visual representation inside, the book jacket represents the book’s overall laissez-fair concept of interfering as little as possible with the designer’s work. The book’s title is displayed on white cards that look as though they were shuffled and placed at random, a design that reinforces the non-hierarchal presentation of the work’s throughout.”—Phaidon
Julia Hasting serves as “designer as author,” and is also one of the curator’s for the book. The others include Ruedi Baur, Irma Boom, James Googin, Ellen Lupton, Saki Mafundikwa, Jan Middendorp, Dan Nadel, Brett Phillips, and Keiichi Tanaami.
Spread for the Table of Contents
(The typeface used throughout was designed by Kobi Benezri.)
Spread for Laura Meseguer from Barcelona (one of Saki Mafundikwa’s picks)
Spread for Iman Raad from Tehran (one of Saki Mafundikwa’s picks)
Spread for Jennifer Sonderby from San Francisco (one of Saki Mafundikwa’s picks)
Spread for Toko from Sydney (one of Brett Phillips’ picks)
Spread for Typographic Masonry from Amsterdam (one of Jan Middendorp’s picks)
Spread in the 10 Design Classics section. Image on the left of Die Unie by J. J. Oud (selection by Ruedi Baur) Image on the right: Turks Fruits by Jan Vermeulen (selection by Irma Boom)
Spread in the 10 Design Classics section. Image on the left: Formosa Enzo Mari (selection by James Googin) Image on the right: Nella Nebbia di Milano by Bruno Munari (selection by Julia Hasting)
Link: AREA_2 from Phaidon
I love when great design looks so simple.
Paul Rand’s cover for Six Nonlectures by e. e. cummings, is one of the favorites in my collection.
To hear more about Rand’s book jacket and cover designs, Steven Heller’s video/slideshow podcast “Paul Rand’s Book Jackets and Covers,” is not to be missed. (from the SVA MFA Design As Author: Paul Rand Lecture series)
Last week at the Vintage Thrift Shop, I saw the name Jean Carlu on the back of a vintage paperback, No Exit. The name sounded familiar...but I really couldn’t recall anything on this designer/artist. Upon further research, I found Jean Carlu (1900-1997) to be a fascinating person, with a wide-ranging and striking portfolio.
Jean Carlu, Journée nationale de la paix, 1936
In 1941 he received an award for the New York Art Directors Club for his poster, “America’s Answer! Production” (seen above)
excerpt from Smithsonian biography: “Born in Bonnières, France, Jean Carlu came from a family of architects and studied to enter that profession. After an accident at the age of eighteen in which he lost his right arm, Carlu turned to graphic design.”
Gift Packages for Hitler!, from the Early Series by Jean Carlu, 1942, Gift of Container Corporation of America, Smithsonian American Art Museum
Cover design by Martin Rosenzweig. This book has been sitting on my shelf since the day it caught my on the street, about 5 years ago. It hurts my eyes + head after a few seconds. But I’ve always found it very striking, especially given that its dated back to 1964. (atleast that's my assumption based on copyright of this edition) This is the “Time Reading Program Special Edition” of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce (the tear on the lower left side is my poor copy not part of the design) I’ve tried to find more information on the designer/illustrator Martin Rosenzweig, with little luck. (the only references I could find is an article naming a Martin Rosenzweig as one of three designers assisting Herbert Bayer on his World Geo-graphic Atlas, and a 2002 obituary in the NY Times. Please share if you’ve come across more information on this little known designer. The art director was also given credit: Edward A. Hamilton. (the back of this paperback has another graphic of a different character in the same style, no barcode, no copy other than a logo and small design credit)
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About Me:
- Working on:
everything but what I should be doing. - Listening to:
pandora - Reading:
"Perfection" by Julie Metz - Watching:
old episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
