Anton Stankowski's example of meta-design
Dear class: There is plenty to talk about:
* Star designers of the 1930s, like Herbert Matter, Joseph Binder & Ladislav Sutnar.
* Avantgarde stars like Alexander Rodchenko, Malevich's geometric Suprematism, Marinetti's onomatopoeic graphic designs.
* Nazi's Propaganda, Leni Riefenstahl's 1935 Triumph of the Will (included in my announcement).
* Graphic design developments like 1930s Neue Typographie and 1950s Swiss International Design, Constructivist posters,
* The nine principles of Swiss typographic style.
* What are you, a less-is-more or a more-is-more advocate?
Go ahead. Avoid echo chambers, even any form of A.I. copy & paste (shhhh, remember, I can tell). 😈
17 comments:
I wanted to write about Kazimir Malevich. He was one of the most famous artists of the 20th century. In the mid-1910s he created a trend of abstract art that he baptized as “suprematism” (from the Latin supremus: which means the highest), and which has continued to influence painters, architects, and designers around the world.
The development of suprematism is divided into three stages: first, black, then in colors and finally white. The black phase marked the beginning of the movement and the zero degree of painting, as evidenced by the famous Black Square on White Background (c. 1923). The colored stage, sometimes called Dynamic Suprematism, focused on the use of color and form to create a sense of movement in space. The final stage was exemplified by his series of white-on-white images from 1918, extinguishing the relevance of color.
The suprematists simplified and ordered everything. They reduced the colors so that the spectators of an artwork forget that they are not only seeing a representation but rather the entire universe reduced to a square.
A universe without objects. No visual indication is possible. Non-descriptive art. Maybe manage to represent "nothing", is like representing everything.
Suprematism lasted less than two decades, but that does not mean that it disappeared without leaving a great legacy. We can affirm that both Futurism and Cubism influenced the appearance of Suprematism in Russia.
Swiss typographic design of the 1950s played in an important role in the evolution of typography. “Helvetica” has become the default font for text based documents. The font is the personification of simplicity. Swiss typographic created grid-based design. In its approach, Swiss Style often opts for an asymmetrical layout and uses sans-serif typefaces. It's designed to ensure that viewers aren't distracted, allowing them to focus on reading and analyzing the content rather than looking at it and appreciating its aesthetics. Swiss typographic design incorporates overall Swiss design aesthetic and principles of quality and durability with unique style, design, and innovation.
I wanted to write about the great Swiss graphic designer, Herbert Matter. Herbert Matter was extremely influential during World War II, when Switzerland, as usual, was in a neutral position, thriving while war was taking place all around. Herbert is well known for being able to seamlessly create art through design and photographs, starting this movement towards mixed media art. During this time, he moved to America, where his Container Corporation of America posters made him a name to be known in the art world. This eventually led to him being the lead design consultant for Knoll, forming and shaping its identity for over ten years. Throughout his time as an artist he worked with incredible experts in the field, such as Corbusier, being a pioneer of new architecture. Towards the end of his career, he became a professor of photography and graphic design, where he was idolized, and worked with many well-known artists today.
I have always had a difficult time understanding art like that of Kazimir Malevich's geometric Suprematism- Modern Art. There was nothing I could relate to and no story to follow. However, as I looked into the philosophy behind Suprematism, I found a new appreciation for it. Malevich did not find meaning in the visuals of an artwork but rather the feeling it evoked. He also believed that art was meant to be useless and not push any sort of ideology or political view. This idea is a bit similar to the Aestheticism movement and its philosophy of 'art for art's sake'. This movement broke free of representing the moral standards of Victorian society and it only meant to show beauty. Malevich's geometric shapes and colors were not meant to have any deeper meaning or represent anything in the natural world. This gives the artist new freedom and independence to express their purest feelings on a canvas.
Neoplasticism is one of the topics that stood out to me. I enjoyed the artist's view of making art into an idealized reality by breaking down art to its most basic forms with basic shapes and pure colors. There are no gradients or mixtures of the colors as they are separated by strong contours. Through My research into neoplasticism, I discovered that neoplasticism had a big impact on modern art and architecture. I remember seeing a Mondrian in Spain when I was 12 and thinking how similar it looks to many homes back home. As a Miami native, I have been exposed to a lot of modern architecture throughout my life and it's interesting how through an idealized art form they sought an idealized world. Modern architecture has broken down many aesthetics to create the most utilitarian building. Right angles dominate modern architecture because it makes the most of the space therefore allowing more people to use the space. I'm intrigued and question whether this view was thought of by the neoplasticism artists when they were first making their philosophy about their art. Perhaps this was the idealized world they were seeking. One where aesthetics were stripped down to its essential elements, allowing for a universal language of form and color to communicate harmony and balance in both art and architecture allowing for a maximized space efficiency.
Personally, I think I am a more is more supporter and advocate. While I do believe some pieces are best left minimal so the message trying to be conveyed by the piece can speak for itself, allowing art to be as maximalist and as loud as possible opens up a whole new world of possibilities. There is technically no limit to how far the mind can wander and the imagination, so for me, I think I like allowing the artist to have the freedom to go as crazy as they want when it comes to creating pieces. Seeing as how everything is subjective and is up for interpretation anyways, I don’t see the harm in loosening the reigns and allowing the art to build upon itself, whether that be through the physical medium, or the conversation surround the art being discussed. When there are no restrictions, genuinely freeing conversations can be had.
Zieli Ennisacevedo
I wanted to talk about Herbert Matter. I grew up skiing in Utah and had always had a fascination with the Ski Apres style posters since they were displayed everywhere in my town. I had known his work for some time now and he quickly became an inspiration of mine.
Herbert Matter was a Swiss graphic designer and photographer who made a big impact on art in the 20th century. He was all about pushing the boundaries, especially with using photography in design. Back in his day, he was known for his bold, abstract style and his knack for combining typography and images in new and exciting ways. He worked on all sorts of projects, from posters to magazine layouts, and his work really stood out.
Even today, Matter's influence can still be seen. His innovative use of photography and design elements paved the way for modern graphic design. Artists and designers still look to his work for inspiration, and his ideas about combining different visual elements are still relevant in today's art and design world.
-Zac Cronin
One design that specifically caught my attention last class was the work of Anton Stankowski. The stark contrast and clean lines were really graphically captivating to me, so I wanted to learn more about his work and his prototype, Constructive Graphic Art.
Anton Stankowski is known as one of the most influential designers of late-modernist art, especially within photography, typography, and graphic design. He got his start studying graphic design and photography under photographer Max Burchartz at Folkwangschule, Essen in Germany. He later established his own design company and was hired by Mercedes-Benz in 1955. He also headed the visual design committee for the Munich Olympic Games.
Stankowski had an expressive and profound style which drew inspiration from his experience in photography and painting. He had a masterful use of color and textural directionality. No matter what media his work was in, it had a consistent graphic style. Overall, Anton Stankowski's connection to constructive graphic art lies in his use of geometric abstraction, grid systems, corporate identity design, typography, and emphasis on visual clarity and simplicity.
I was very fascinated by the art developed by the legendary Alexander Liberman, who was a former editorial director of VOGUE. Liberman's passion for modernism and the aesthetic of elevated luxury visual influences, transformed graphic design in the fashion industry that ended up being felt by the entire graphic art world. Lieberman was also especially talented at collage-like covers and pieces that are still present in Vogue's work today; he essentially created a legacy that continues to live on. My favorite of Alexander Liberman's covers is the 1941 photo captured by Horst P. Horst. This cover displays a woman holding a red balloon and the balloon string transforms into the word VOGUE, with the O being the red balloon and the rest of the letters being the black string that the woman in the image is holding. The graphic art of the balloon turning into the word VOGUE is brilliant and so appealing to the eye; it is the very foundation of the magic of Vogue. I was also a fan of Liberman's work, but after diving deeper into his modernism lens, I adore him even more!
I also identify as someone who is more of a less is more persona and direction. I am big on staple pieces and having bright colors to stand out, however, I prefer that is done in a classy and more low profile tone. Even when utilizing fonts for example, I prefer to keep it traditional.
Christine Oyalo I wanted to talk about how American Vogue is different from its past, during the Alexander Lieberman era, compared to recent American Vogue covers. The recent covers lack in concept, creativity, and execution, falling into mediocrity despite Vogue's resources and influence in the fashion industry. In comparison, during Liberman's tenure, Vogue was known for its innovative and striking visuals. Liberman's influence brought a distinctive aesthetic to the magazine, often blending art and photography in groundbreaking ways. This contrasts sharply with the more recent covers, which the I feel lack the artistic integrity once synonymous with Vogue. American Vogue to needs to embrace more daring and artistic concepts, akin to its international counterparts and its own past under leaders like Liberman. For example, Vogue China's 2022 covers as examples of exceptional artistry and creativity, showcasing elaborate, conceptually rich photography. It seems that vogue in Asia offers a fantasy, whereas Vogue in Europe gives real life and high fashion events, but American vogue just celebrates celebrities. American Vogue covers have remained the same format once photography was introduced. The magazine should draw inspiration from its international counterparts and its own historical legacy to produce covers that are not only commercially successful but also artistically significant.
Today I wanted to discuss the Swiss International Typographic Style. This was a pivotal point in Swiss design, and design in general, in the 1950s. The Swiss International Style has a distinguishable two-dimensional flatness of the arrangement of typography and images. Most importantly the Helvetica typeface is the new modern typeface for the time and can be seen all over Swiss posters in the 1950s. This typeface is sleek, clean, and modern just like the designs implemented on the posters. There are a few principles of Swiss International Typographic Style that stood out to me. Firstly, there is nothing left to add or remove, the subject matter is minimal but it makes sense. The composition is uniform and is heavily influenced by geometric shapes and grid systems. There is enough white space left to balance out the structured combination of typography and images. Finally, photography is incorporated. I like how with the development of photography, illustrations are replaced or accompanied by photograph cutouts.
"the Suprematist does not observe and does not touch – he feels."
An excerpt from Kazmir Malevich's Suprematist Manifesto.
The work is a declaration of what suprematism stands for and why it is important in regards to art. The main philosophy for the Suprematist is in the ability to capture the essence of feeling through non-objectivity. Throughout art history, all the celebrated masters such as Rubens, Rembrandt, Michelangelo, etc, could accurately depict nature as objectively as possible resulting in the creation of masterpieces. According to Malevich and the Suprematists, they were not masterpieces because of how accurate their illustrations of the natural world were but due to an underlying factor where the familiar disappears. After art separated itself from the state and religion there was no longer a need to illustrate the naturalism of nature. The essence made them masterpieces, here, in this realm of pure feeling is where Malevhich comes out with a pure black square. Instead of an accumulation of "things" that take away from what is truly valuable in a work of art, the use of simple shapes and colors provides the very foundation of feeling.
Out of all of the works which we went over and discussed last class, the one that has stuck with me the most is the propaganda of Leni Reifenstahl. I was very surprised to find out that it was a woman who was responsible for the incredibly effective and also incredibly harmful propaganda put out by the Nazi party before and during World War II, and even more surprised to learn about her close personal relationship with Hitler. Her films were used to further the agenda of the Nazi party, and to brainwash viewers into following the philosophies of Hitler. It is a testament to her talent and the level of success she achieved with these films that they are still considered masterful; despite the horribly negative connotation they carry, they are undeniably successful works of art. It interested me how when the war came to an end and the Nazi party was no more, she denied knowledge of the impact she had in this conflict, and essentially escaped punishment. She then went on to continue creating, and adapted to the new associates and projects she was tasked with. As an individual, Leni Riefenstahl fascinated me, and her emotional, beautiful, evil propaganda adds to the mixed feelings I hold.
I was interested in learning more about Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and his concept of “parole in libertà ” (words in freedom). I found it interesting that although there is no syntactic or grammatical connection between the words in his designs, they visually “fit” the spaces he creates. Letters overlap and words are thrown together, but he uses negative space in an interesting way. His work doesn't visually overwhelm the viewer; it feels like organized chaos, which I think is because of the negative spaces. An interesting example of this is in his 1914 publication, Zang Tumb Tumb. In this cover illustration, he formats his letters in a descending-sized font, arching from the back left of the cover, leading the viewer to the title of the book on the front cover. He also includes “thumm” across the margin of the book, which I thought was unique. I was surprised to learn that he became a fascist in later life and was a supporter of Musilini; he wrote manifestos connecting fascism to futurism.
-Benjamin Rosen-Cappellazzo
I am extremely interested in Alexey Brodovitch’s Harpers Bazaar covers. I love fashion and learning about it through fashion magazines. His layouts are so aesthetically pleasing. I took a graphic design course last year and quickly realized how tricky it can be. It is obvious the eye that he has for evening the page out. His spreads use strategic placements of white space that even the page out in a way that makes sense. Like in his “If you don’t like full skirts” spread, the text replicated the shadow against the dress. I also love his use of overlap in the 1952 cover. The red overlapping over the Bazaar created a more lively full page. Even the thickness of the outline of the woman is the perfect amount to stand out but not overpower. His cover of Audrey Hepburn causes you to have to stare at it to understand what is happening in the image. Her neck looks elongated like she is almost a giraffe. The hat is so overpowering, yet it balances out the text and Audrey. I wonder why he never officially finished the spread with the woman and the umbrella. I love that silhouette-like image, and I feel like he could have done something really impressive with it. I absolutely love his work. It is incredibly sophisticated but also so playful at the same time. When I took my graphic design class, his works were a perfect example of the look I was trying to create.
I was very intrigued by Cipe Pineles and her accomplishments as a female in the designer community. She was one of the first female art directors to work at a major magazine and a part of the most prominent designers during the twentieth century. Cipe Pineles was born in Vienna, Austria in 1908, but attended high school in Brooklyn, NY. She studied at Pratt Institute, where she would win a Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Scholarship. After her graduation, she became an assistant to M.F. Agha, designer and art director for Condé Nast publications. She made a mark becoming the first female member of The Art Directors Club’s admission policy toward women, after staying at Condé Nast long enough to become a 10-year-test-case. In 1947 she became Seventeen's art director, commissioning well known painters to do fiction illustration. A few years later in 1950, Pineles was named art director of Street & Smith’s Charm, redirecting the publication to the up and coming consumer audience “women who work”, with editor Helen Valentine. After another publication, Mademoiselle, she decided to leave in 1961 and work as an independent designer/illustrator. She became a design consultant to the Lincoln Center in 1967, and in 1970, she joined the faculty of the Parsons School of Design. At Parsons, she became director of publication design. She has also worked for Glamour magazine.
One of the things that stuck out to me from last weeks lecture was Die Nue Typographie. The new typography movement consisted of designers moving away from traditional type arrangement and moving more towards asymmetrical designs. They also used photomontage as the main illustration. The movement quickly took off and many designers immediately adapted to the new style. I think this definitely had an impact that is still seen today within graphic design. As a graphic design major, it is important to understand the fundamentals of typography and composition. However, there are times when it is better to be asymmetrical and arrange things in more creative ways. I think the new typography movement allowed designers to be much more creative and led to the discovery of many new styles. I have definitely created works using this style, so it is very interesting to hear about the history of this movement.
-Jackson Harris
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