History of Graphic design
Stephen Eskilson- Graphic design: A new History (2007)
‘That graphic design history has too often been presented through a parade of styles and individual achievement devoid of significant social context’
Suggests/ diagnoses, but doesn't really ‘fulfill’ an alternative agenda
How does it attempt to be ‘new’?
‘the profession of graphic design was established when the task of designing printed material was separated from the task of printing it’
Graphics as a function of the western industrial world dictates the content on much of the book
The majority of the chapters are dedicated to the twentieth century and especially to modernism in all its variant forms.
Eskilsons background in art history shows through in the number or ‘fine art’ works that are reproduced to supplement the more familiar posters and adverts.
Stresses social context
Art deco and colonialism, 1927
Attempted to convey a message of cultural ‘improvement’- novel from of exhibition in underground stations.
Eskilson attempts to inject social context into graphic design history.
Final Chapter:
Inclusion of Bruce Mau and Fuel (attempt to extend cannon) 2006-2010— Cross pollination, teams studio approach
Impact of new technologies
Citizen Designer— ethical, transformative agenda, root in William Morris- what happens to ideals?
The ‘Looking closer’ Series
The series essentially concerns the writing of graphic design critics/ professionals.
Beatrice Warde(book3)- The Crystal Goblet, 1930
Alice Twemlow(book 5) - the decriminalisation of ornament- new types of Digital Flora and Fauna (malcolm McCullough)- Marian Bantjes - http://bantjes.com/work/i-wonder/
Meggs History of graphic design (1985)
The first time the words ‘History’ and ‘Graphic Design’ were used together
Steven Heller-I thought this Meggs fellow had actually made history.
An attempt to create a systematic graphic design history that did not depend on anecdotal reflection.
Coming together of academia and professional practice places graphic design on the same level of other academic subjects.
Meggs approach
Ambitiously encompassing
-Invention of mark making writing and printing—Hittiee cylinder seal- precursor to print image on side, image on base for stamping 1650-1200 BC
Evolution of printing and type (remember, this both a technological and aesthetic history)
It was necessary to condense a considerable amount of mass communications history before getting to the heart of what we call graphic design.
But is also limited
When Meggs entered the 80s and 90s, the dawn of the digital age, he ran afoul of the new generation of anti-modernists that had embraced the expressive and connective potwnial of new technologies.
Modernism versus postmodernism — classicism vs grunge —progressives versus retro designers
A difficult history to manage. A period that contested the very ‘modern’ idea of history This betrays of the ethos of Meggs history
