Graphic design history

‘I Don’t Know Where I’m Going But I Want To Be There: The Expanding Field of Graphic Design 1900-2020,’ shouts the monochrome typographic cover of a new book in the discipline.

The cover
The cover

Exploring progression of what it considered to be a ‘craft-based and highly cultural’ industry until the 1990s, the book – produced by Dutch publisher BIS – looks at global examples of what it sees in the 21st century as a ‘highly cultural democratised discipline at the centre of arts and media.’

We do get quite a few graphics books and some seem quite muddled but there is order here, which is welcome, with strong and plentiful examples.

A spread from the book
A spread from the book

The full page Jack Kerouac, On The Road quotes interspersed through the introductory section – presumably to suggest lineage and transition – are a bit much though, and slightly incongruous to one of the main points made by author Mieke Gerritzen.

‘The new generation of professional artists and designers has grown up with internet, mobile telephones and virtual worlds. Today’s professionals create their own context and do not, by definition, aspire to connect with the established cultural elite such as museums,’ writes Gerritzen.   

A spread from the book
A spread from the book

Gerritzen – also director of the Graphic Design Museum in Breda – is credited as initiator of the book which includes contributions from  designer and writer Sophie Krier, Julian Bittiner designer and design writer who asks ‘Does money manipulate design?’, and Annelys de Vet who looks at ‘New Designers Application  for 2010-2020.’

A spread from the book
A spread from the book

An accompanying exhibition  at the Design Museum in Breda  runs until 29 May.

Hide Comments (5)Show Comments (5)
Comments
  • Jayson November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    I love the way you presented the information. I think my site on the history of graphic design is a nice compliment to yours. http://seedesign.info/

  • Jking November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    After looking over your site I wanted to include my site which will compliment well.

    http://www.seedesign.info/

    -Thanks

  • Jayson November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Thank you for this great article. I’ve found a bit more information relating to this at http://www.seedesign.info which is a website on the history of Graphic Design.

  • Clipping Path Service November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Thank you

  • Jayson November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    This is a wonderful article discussing an important aspect of history. I found similar interests at http://www.historygraphicdesign.com/ which was a great source of information. Thank you!

  • Post a comment

Latest articles