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Seymour Chwast The reason I chose as one of the graphic designers who has interested me the most throughout this course, is because of his savage sense of humor. The anti-war poster, End Bad Breath is what first piqued my interest. Ironically, his cartoon style of drawing seems to make the political satire, which is the basis of many of his works, all the more biting. Chwast was also influenced by some of the Symbolist artists of the late 1800’s such as Honore Daumier, which is an era in art history that has always attracted me. When reading more about Chwast, I was impressed to find that despite the fact that he did not receive immediate success in the design world - perhaps because his style - he continued to pursue graphic design. His support of the collaborative process is also something that I admire. His encouragement and promotion of new artists, and his joint development of the Push Pin graphic design studio (www.pushpininc.com/html/seymour.html) shows that he believes that truly great graphic design relies on “process”. Chapin-GR 10 2

of past styles and forms—one that has had long term effects on graphic design.

Born in 1931 in , , Chwast began drawing in earnest at the age of seven, and soon attended WPA-sponsored art classes. He became profoundly aware of the difference between museum and street art and seemed to instinctively prefer the allure of billboards and advertisements to Picassos and Mondrians. Influenced by Walt Disney, the Sunday funnies and serial movies, he gave life to his own cartoon heroes, including "Jim Lightning" and "Lucky Day." His family moved to Coney Island, where he

was enrolled in Abraham Lincoln High School. On the outside this was an ordinary public school, but inside it was a hotbed of graphic design education.

Chwast was accepted as a member of the elite "Art Squad." This roving band of sign and poster artists was a spin-off of a graphic design class taught by Leon Friend, teacher of such design notables as Gene Federico and Alex Steinweiss. It was at Lincoln that Chwast learned to appreciate type, graphic images and the possibilities of Seymour Chwast commercial art. Friend believed that there was no greater glory for an artist than to have his work by Steven Heller printed, and demanded that his students enter all competitions open to them. Chwast entered many. It would be difficult to imagine contemporary American At sixteen, his first was published in a and European graphic design and illustration without the reader's column in Seventeen magazine, art presence of Seymour Chwast. directed by Cipe Pineles.

By the middle of the 1950s, as the Norman Rockwell epoch drew to a close, Chwast was already known for his unique style of illustration. His playful, expressive approach to type and layout was the point of a new design wave based on revivalism—a radical alternative to the Swiss formalism of the time. For over 30 years he has continued to ride above the twists and turns of fashion; today his art is even more energized and varied than when it originally altered a generation's perceptions.

Chwast's work is widely recognized on posters, in books for children and adults, magazines and advertisements. His strength is not in rendering, like so many of the "sentimentalists" before him, but in concept and design. A beguiling sense of humor underpins his illustration, and a keen understanding of traditional design governs his method. Chwast and his Push Pin colleagues helped reintroduce the long divorced principles of illustration and design. Moreover, he helped formulate a new graphic lexicon based on knowledge, appreciation and reapplication Chapin-GR 10 3

This early indoctrination in the applied arts was total and Finally, unalterable. In 1948 Chwast entered New York's Cooper during a Union, matriculating with and , stint in with whom he would found the Push Pin studio. Condé Nast's art During the Cooper years Chwast was influenced by the department graphic work of Ben Shahn, Georg Grosz, Georges Rouault Chwast and Honoré Daumier. The conceptual strength of these began to stylistically diverse but like-spirited critical commentators solicit was reflected in his own penchant for expressive woodcuts. freelance One of Chwast's earliest, and still provocative, works in work. entitled The Book of Battle, a handprinted, handbound and handcolored anti-war statement. The social commitment Together shown in this book became a recurring theme. As for his with Ruffins comic bent, Chwast's most direct antecedents were André and Sorel, François and Saul Steinberg, masters of paradox and irony. Chwast produced a promotional piece designed to A direct link between their brand of cartoon/illustration show prospective clients that ideas were as central and Chwast's surreal comedy is still evident. to design and illustration as was rendering. The result was a semi-regular publication called the Because was tied to a fashionable abstract Push Pin Almanack. Based on the Farmer's dogma at that time, Chwast's education was as much one of Almanac, each issue included drawing, text and rejection as of acceptance. The realization that he couldn't trivia with a specific theme. At the time there were paint—specifically in the proscribed manner—and that he a few other "continuity" promotions, but none so had no interest in creating illusion for its own sake pushed ambitious or inventive as the Almanack. It him into more accessible artistic realms. In their second brought in enough freelance work that Chwast school year, Chwast, Glaser and formed a and Sorel (who had recently returned from studio called Design Plus. After completing two jobs studies in Italy) decided to form a studio which together (a flyer for a theatrical event and a children's book) they christened Push Pin. Chwast credits Glaser they went out of business. for realizing that a studio would offer greater long range possibilities for the individuals involved.

In 1954 it was possible to start a business with very little capital. Push Pin's rent was low, and a pay phone served their business needs. Illustration assignments for educational slide shows and rendering for package design proposals provided a respectable cash flow. After salaries were paid to the assistant and secretary, each studio member took home $25 a week.

If it would have been impossible to predict the eventual fruits of the Design Plus collaboration, it would have been equally hard to believe that Chwast would continue in graphic design after the results of his first five jobs. Upon graduating from Cooper Union he worked for a year in The The Push Pin approach took time to evolve. While New York Times promotion department where, under the studio members would work together on design tutelage of art director George Krikorian, Chwast learned projects, editorial illustration was individual. A the principles of typography and was given design and collective impulse to broaden the boundaries of illustration assignments. Subsequent jobs, however, weren't accepted methods and to unify design and as satisfactory. A string of failures began with a bullpen post illustration was the impetus to rename and at Esquire magazine (fired because he couldn't do comps). expand the Almanack into the Push Pin Graphic. Chapin-GR 10 4

From the outset this visually exuberant periodical caused a significance of his innovative instincts and savvy stir in the design community. It was not only an effective applications. means of showing off the studio's talents, but proved to be a major influence on the design and art direction of the late Push Pin was on the cutting edge of popular art. Fifties and early Sixties, specifically in the convergence of The studio's approach was consistent with other illustration and design. A minor, yet interesting, graphic changes in the culture, and often served to development which attests to the impact of the Graphic visually represent them. This was manifest in the occurred when Chwast and Glaser placed all the art in one highly visible, mass media jobs, including book issue in boxes with rounded corners. Within weeks rounded jackets, record covers, posters, advertisements corners were adopted by others as a motif in magazines and and magazine covers. Despite this intense ads. visibility, Push Pin was more influential than it was wealthy. Unlike large corporate design firms Because of its eclecticism, which was influenced by servicing ongoing and lucrative identity programs, venerable design styles including Victoriana and Art Push Pin was working on an assignment-to- Nouveau, some critics accused Push Pin of contributing to assignment basis. One reason was that the diverse the demise of modernism. Push Pin nature of their collective work was anathema to accepted rules of corporate image. Push Pin brokered best in the realm of what might be called editorial ideas.

During the mid- to late-Sixties Push Pin was a magnet for designers and illustrators, including James McMullan, Paul Davis, , Sam Antupit, John Alcorn and George Stavrinos. While decidedly influenced by Push Pin's strong graphic personality, these members also contributed their own approaches to the studio. This collaborative environment has been a significant model for others.

The historic exhibition at the Louvre's Musée des was, in fact, creating contemporary contexts for once viable Arts Decorativs in 1970 underscored the forms, foreshadowing the Post-Modernism of the Eighties institutionalization of Push Pin. It was the first but not purposefully reacting to current practices or time an American design studio was honored in theories. Chwast recalls that he gave up woodcuts in the this way. Critics applauded Push Pin for its non- Sixties because the expressionistic vocabulary had lost its conformity, and voiced surprise that "such work vitality. Clients were asking for certain looks and moods, would be supported by a capitalist system." The and Chwast saw his role as fulfilling this need. For example, show traveled throughout Europe and to Brazil Victoriana was associated with the Push Pin look, but it was and codified the notion of a "Push Pin Style," just one of those styles coming into vogue. Chwast's "roxy" which was not a definable style so much as a spirit look (which was what he called Art Deco before he knew based on humor, play and surprise. In the light of that it had a real name) derived from Steinberg's graphic this attention the studio was more visible to the musings. Rather than mimicking the past, Chwast was more world than was Chwast as an individual. Though interested in adapting, integrating and making it this may have caused him some concern, the contemporary. What became known as the Push Pin Style— studio's accomplishments were a greater source of the distinctive, eclectic union of illustration and design— pride. Push Pin offered, and continues to offer, derived, according to Chwast, not from premeditation but variety, challenge and growth. Despite his solitary from the requisites of the assignments themselves. It was a nature, Chwast thrived on collaboration. Yet it is desire to state the client's message in as personal yet as very easy to pick out his contributions to the accessible a vocabulary as possible. Although Chwast says studio work of the Sixties and early Seventies, that both he and the studio were swept along with the "pop such as his outstanding series of Dostoyevsky thing" of the Sixties—bright colors and stylized outline paperback covers. Chwast's approach—regardless drawings—such a statement tends to diminish the of media—was always humorous and aggressive without being crass. His virtuosity has always Chapin-GR 10 5 been demonstrated in his ability to master both elegance interiors for Quotes, a new chain of shoe stores. and pop. In 1984 Chwast was inducted into the Art In 1975 Glaser left Push Pin, ending their 20-year Directors Club Hall of Fame, and in 1985 a collaboration. Chwast, however, felt that he hadn't retrospective collection, Seymour Chwast: The exhausted his need for, or interest in, the studio. He Left-Handed Designer, was published by Harry continued as Push Pin's director with Phyllis Flood in N. Abrams. charge of managing and marketing the studio. Together they formed a company to develop and market a line of candies called "Pushpinoff." Keeping with the Push Pin's tradition, Chwast hired talented designers, many of whom regarded Push Pin Graphic as a magazine, and published it on a regular basis for five years. Thematic issues, including Mothers, the Condensed History of the World, Crime and Food, New Jersey, and Chicken, served as an outlet for Chwast's creative obsessions as well as being a showcase for other members of the studio. Chwast also began something of a poster renaissance through his assignments from Forbes Magazine and Mobil. During this time Push Pin Press was founded as a means to package books that appealed to Chwast's playfulness. He designed The Illustrated Cat (the first wave in the tide of feline publications), The Illustrated Flower and Robot, among others. The press was then replaced by Push Pin Editions, for which he was co-author of The Art of New York, Art Against War and Happy Birthday, Bach (which is so stylistically rich and varied with his own that it A famous illustrator once said about changing his will serve the design historian as a complete record of practice from the applied to fine arts: "Illustration Chwast's range). Chwast had always been enamored with is a young man's game." If that is true then the conceptual children's book, exemplified by his Tall City, Chwast has discovered a fountain of youth. While Wide Country, one of over twenty children's books he has at times he relies on tried and true methods, he either written or illustrated. has more sparks of inspiration and longer fires of brilliance than most younger colleagues. No one Despite a certain satisfaction with the status quo, Chwast can argue with his influence on illustration or his was convinced that Push Pin had to become more catholic breakthroughs in design. His palette and design in its practice and expand into packaging, corporate and forms were new wave when most new wavers environmental design. In 1981 he joined with Alan were still fingerpainting. But Seymour Chwast is Peckolick to found Pushpin Lubalin Peckolick, subsequently anything but fashionable. His commitment to renamed The Pushpin Group. He and Peckolick social and political issues has not swayed in the collaborated on projects with a wide range of applications. breeze of ideological reaction. And more With Murry Gelberg as environmental designer, for important, his art for commerce and his creative instance, they designed the log, signage, packaging and art are as fresh and uncompromised as when he first put pen to paper.

Copyright 1986 by The American Institute of Graphic Arts.

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Chapin-GR 10 7 http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mots.org.il/assets/shop/2119.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.mots.o rg.il/eng/shop/ProductsInCategory.asp%3FCategoryID%3D1%26Page%3D2&h=223&w=368&sz=18&hl=en&start= 86&tbnid=LHnsmgC7DaDO- M:&tbnh=74&tbnw=122&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dseymour%2Bchwast%2B%26start%3D80%26ndsp%3D20%26sv num%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

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