Area - Hardcover

Editors Of Phaidon Press

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0714843253 ISBN 13: 9780714843254

Publisher: Phaidon Press, 2003

Synopsis

Long neglected, graphic design has been creeping into the consciousness of the general public. In our increasingly visual culture, it is an omnipresent form of creativity, something we are all influenced by whether we like it or not. Every logo, poster and CD cover confronts us with graphic design in some shape or form. It is the basis of all visual communication and arguably the most pervasive creative discipline of our times. Essentially an exhibition in a book, this title presents the 100 graphic designers arranged in an A-to-Z order. Each of the designers is featured over two double-page spreads, which are extensively illustrated with examples of their work. Alongside these examples, a 400-word text by the selecting curator explains his/her choice and illuminates the depicted work. The reproductions are further complemented with extended captions and biographical information on the designer. The book is characterized by the enormous diversity of the 100 graphic designers. Showcasing talents from Minneapolis to Macao, this text opens the door to the work of emerging designers practising in more than 25 countries around the world. It reflects a unique multitude of styles, ideas, and influences: an endless range of creativity from the playful, digital graphics of Eboy in Berlin, to the regional aesthetics of Chaz Mavyanne Davies of Zimbabwe or Ahn Sang-Soo of Korea; from the political awareness of Iran's Reza Abedini, to the more sober and traditional designs of the Italy's Leonardo Sonnoli. Beyond this extensive survey of contemporary graphic design, ten curators were also asked to choose what they consider a design "classic" - a piece of printed design from any era that is of particular significance to them. These "classic" pieces are showcased in the shorter, second part of the book, each accompanied by a brief text explaining how the piece fits into the selecting curator's general view and philosophy of graphic design.

About this title

About the Author

Anthon Beeke (Netherlands): Provocative and acclaimed poster designer, as well as the designer of several Dutch design publications. He is an AGI member and a visiting professor at numerous universities, including the Rhode Island School of Design. Fernando Gutierrez (UK/Spain): A partner at Pentagram, one the most important international design firms, he is considered at the forefront of contemporary magazine design. He is the founder of the influential literary and photographic review Matador and is the creative director of Colors Magazine. Ken Cato (Australia): Founder and Executive Chairman of Cato Purnell Partners, an internationally acclaimed corporate design firm based in Australia with offices in SE Asia and South America. He was also the president of the AGI from 1997-2000. Nick Bell (UK): Artistic Director of Eye Magazine, arguably the most important and influential graphic design publication of the moment. Omar Vulpinari (Italy): Head of the graphic design department at Benetton's innovative Fabrica school, built and funded to encourage and foster some of today's most interesting young talents. Serge Serov (Russia): Considered the spokesman of the design community in the former Eastern Bloc, he is the organiser of the Golden Bee international graphic design biennial held in Moscow. He is also the designer of a Russian design journal (title tbd). Shigeo Fukuda (Japan): One of the masters of modern Japanese poster design. An AGI member and professor at the Tokyo Arts University, Fukuda's work is published and exhibited around the world. He has won numerous international awards. Stefan Sagmeister (USA): Known for his unorthodox approach and commercial work for the music industry. He has designed graphics and packaging for clients such as the Rolling Stones, Lou Reed, and Aerosmith. His outstanding work for bands has received, amongst many other prizes, four Grammy nominations. Uwe Loesch (Germany): One of the key poster designers of the last decades. His work has received many awards and is published and exhibited around the world. He is a professor at Wuppertal University in Germany and a member of AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale). Werner Jeker (Switzerland): A living legend of Swiss graphic design, he is the co-founder of the studio Les Atelier du Nord in Lausanne and the winner of many international awards. An AGI member, he is also a professor at the universities of Karlsruhe and Lausanne.

Review

'So this is my advice: buy two copies, cut one up and hang it in your studio for a month - it will be the cheapest but best way to get some inspiration.' (Domenic Lippa, design director of Lippa Pearce Design, Creative Review) 'With more than 1,500 images, if you can't find something to inspire you then you're either incredibly cynical or you just aren't looking properly. But what really works for Area is its truly international stance, which gives the book its freshness and diversity. Ultimately it's those qualities that justify its space on your bookshelf.' (Caroline Roberts, Blueprint) 'An accurate mirror of the profusion of graphic styles in our post-, post-, post-modern era. ... Area is an up-to-the-minute snapshot of a truly pluralist age, and in this respect it succeeds admirably.' (Jonathan Bell, Grafik (formerly Graphics International)) 'In the over-crowded market of tomes on graphic design, Phaidon's Area has struck a chord. A...wonderfully subjective selection of designers across the world, it is a great snapshot of what is happening today in print design...questions our conventional Western view of graphic design.' (Sara Manuelli, Design Week) 'Area's 10 tastemakers-Nick Bell, Stefan Sagmeister, and Uwe Leosch among them-each culled 10 graphic designers from the ranks of today's emerging voices. Happily, Area's power-of-ten approach manages to yield more substance than gimmick. Big, fat, and cheerful, Area functions as a contemporary guide to corporate identity, poster and book design, typography, and packaging.' (i-D) 'A showcase of 100 designers, a diverse, international group that has pushed design limits over the last five years...[A]n intriguing look at where design's been in light of where it's going.' (Step Inside Design) 'Phaidon's Area plays the bling card to a T...Sitting down to read Area is considerably more rewarding than one might expect, however, for the simple reason that it's well-conceived. Phaidon asked ten esteemed designer-curators to pick their favorite rising stars and to explain their choices. This method yields an intelligently cultivated array of work as well as some inimitable curatorial observations.' (Print) 'The concept of Area is inspired: select 10 disinguished graphic designers as curators, then ask each to choose 10 favourite rising stars and one best ever design classic. The result is superb.' (Azure)

Edition details

• Publisher: Phaidon Press
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0714843253
• ISBN 13: 9780714843254
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 448