Inside Emigre 1984 - 2005

Deeply involved

They came to the profession of graphic design not simply to assimilate but to question and also to transform it.

I believe Content in me Million ideas participants Exploration 12 16 20

Rules to Enthusiasm question Good 8 luck 26 22 30 Editorial Impressum 7 34 6 7 Editorial

When I started my research for Emigre Magazin I wasn’t sure what to expect. Needless to say, I was impressed by Rudy VanderLans unconventional layouts and the enormous amount of different fonts created by Zuzana Licko. But apart from this I found more. While I went through the issues of Emigre in our library I stumbled over some ama- zing articles from different authors concerning various subjects of life per se as well as discussi- ons about graphic design. Finally, I came to issue #69, a summary of the whole Emigre story. I found myself confronted with testifies from Rudy VanderLans concerning the attitude, a graphic designer should have, and what it needs to be a designer, such as enthusiasm and entrepreneurialism but also a little bit of luck. It became clear why Emigre was successfull almost two decades. As a student I thought these statements are really worth sharing and therefo- re I centered my attention in this folder on Rudy VanderLans quotations. 8 tion plo Ex ra oe su 14,1985 cover issue# Elments oftheEmigre

EBe tiredofthemonotonytraditional typography

by Zuzana Licko, 1997 Licko, Zuzana by

Hypnopaedia, designed designed Hypnopaedia, Elements of the pattern pattern the of Elements

„

photocopier. and architects. and

a faceless demographic. demographic. faceless a

had been resized on a a on resized been had photagraphers, poets, poets, photagraphers,

typewriter type that that type typewriter artists as well as well as artists

the text was primarily primarily was text the journal to showcase showcase to journal

universal language on on language universal

budget for typesetting, typesetting, for budget intended as a cultural cultural a as intended

Since there was no no was there Since Emigre was originally originally was Emigre

move away from imposing a a imposing from away move

cultivating a spirit of exploration. of spirit a cultivating contemporaries around. contemporaries

a lot from their own own their from lot a

audience. We wanted to to wanted We audience.

a prime force in revolutionizing the industry and and industry the revolutionizing in force prime a establishment and also also and establishment

trenched graphic design graphic trenched

their unique visions and, conseqently, have been been have conseqently, and, visions unique their attacks from an en- an from attacks

towards smaller, likeminded likeminded smaller, towards withstood some virulent virulent some withstood

Throughout it all, they have continued to pursue pursue to continued have they all, it Throughout Rudy and Zuzana have have Zuzana and Rudy

visual vocabulary directed directed vocabulary visual W

printed 500 Magazins. 500 printed

Marc and Menno. They They Menno. and Marc

expressive, individualized individualized expressive,

other Dutch immigrants, immigrants, Dutch other

VanderLans and two two and VanderLans

11.5″ by 17″ format by by format 17″ by 11.5″

We wanted to explore a more more a explore to wanted We together in 1984 in an an in 1984 in together

Early explorers of new technology new of explorers Early

„ put was issue first The

Exploration 11 12 Mil li on id eas

Letters and numbers in Travel other routes to find inspiration style of Triplex, font designed by Zuzana Licko, 1989 M

Zuzana Licko, 1989 Licko, Zuzana

font designed by by designed font

Numbers of Triplex, Triplex, of Numbers

obstacle.

ideas was the biggest biggest the was ideas

lerance for different different for lerance

- into them For mind.

design and an open open an and design

were interested in new new in interested were Vanderlans and Licko Licko and Vanderlans

„ work. expirimental

lution textures in their their in textures lution

- low-reso Macintosh’s

Designers included the the included Designers

its initial crudeness. crudeness. initial its

a fool of itself. of fool a

derived inspiration from from inspiration derived

done before; they also also they before; done

To copy what had been been had what copy To It isn’t afraid to fail and make make and fail to afraid isn’t It

tually be used to copy. to used be tually appeared in Emigre. in appeared

computer could even- even- could computer in graphic design first first design graphic in It looks accessible. It changes. changes. It accessible. looks It

recognized that this this that recognized the most original ideas ideas original most the

lenge. They not only only not They lenge. sign press. The fact is, is, fact The press. sign

an authoritarian feel to it. it. to feel authoritarian an - chal new a as ations - de mainstream the by

- limit Macintosh’s saw pletetly misunderstood misunderstood pletetly

ning, these designers designers these ning, - com or ignored tinely

print on. It doesn’t have have doesn’t It on. print - begin very the From - rou were ideas of Lots

due to the uncoated stock we we stock uncoated the to due M role as an outlet for exciting new ideas. new exciting for outlet an as role

the context of other magazines. It played an important important an played It magazines. other of context the

bit more funky; perhaps perhaps funky; more bit

restraint in the magazin, but it only appeared “wild” in in “wild” appeared only it but magazin, the in restraint

Maybe because Emigre looks a a looks Emigre because Maybe

Intolerance for different ideas is an obstacle an is ideas different for Intolerance

„ of lack or “wildness” the cite often Emigre of Critics

Million ideas Million 15 16 I be

lie Make your own products and become your own clients i ve in me

Elements of the pattern Whirligig, designed by Zuzana Licko, 1994

Barnbrook, 2003 Barnbrook,

„

choose to do on their own. their on do to choose

and see what designers would would designers what see and

projects they created. they projects

personal stake in the the in stake personal industry, I was eager to hear hear to eager was I industry,

but initiators with a a with initiators but

be not just hired hands, hands, hired just not be

design purely as a service service a as purely design But designers should should designers But

of commercial clients. commercial of or design. or

Instead of looking at graphic graphic at looking of Instead to others. to gives form to the ideas ideas the to form gives either by ignorance ignorance by either

sion that organizes and and organizes that sion gazines overlooked overlooked gazines

the qualities that made some projects so appealing appealing so projects some made that qualities the

- profes service-oriented established trade ma- trade established

the design profession. profession. design the

narrowly defined as a a as defined narrowly typography that the the that typography

that individualism and self-expression were exactly exactly were self-expression and individualism that simply become too too become simply experimental forms of of forms experimental

on graphic design had had design graphic on was to celebrate the the celebrate to was

culture that dominates most of of most dominates that culture

Rudy Vanderlans und Zuzana Licko were convinced convinced were Licko Zuzana und Vanderlans Rudy - estimati Vanderlans In Vanderlans’s policy policy Vanderlans’s

W type. digital resolution

views to the consumer-driven consumer-driven the to views

dot-matrix and high high and dot-matrix

earliest and quirkiest quirkiest and earliest

introduced some of the the of some introduced create a forum for alternative alternative for forum a create

faith. Emigre fonts fonts Emigre faith.

propagated their design design their propagated

With Emigre, I’ve tried to to tried I’ve Emigre, With typographic wares and and wares typographic

To think one is pretty good at this stuff this at good pretty is one think To

„ their promoted Emigre

I believe in me in believe I 19 Terry Trucco Takenobu Igarashi Erik van Blokland Linda van Deursen Jacques Overhoff John Weber Just van Rossum Jodokus Driessen William Cone Glenn Suokko Barry Deck Karel Martens Roberto Barazzuol Menno Meyjes Philippe Apeloig Keith Robertson Joseph Plateau Laura Genninger Salman Rushdie Don Carpenter Max Kisman Laurie H. Makela Michiel Uilen Esther Vermeer Jeffrey Browning Tom Klinkowstein Rick Valicenti John Weber Erik van Blokland Lisa Anderson Andrea Goldstein Marc Susan Christine Higdon Robert Nakata Tula Mond Helene Bergmans Karen Douglas Hans Sluga John Ormsby Allen Hori Mark Andresen Andrew Blauvelt Kees Broos Johanna Drucker Ed McDonald James Stoecker Keith Robertson Ed McDonald Stanley Banos Gavin Flint Allen Hori Kathy Keen Elizabeth Charman Jan Jancourt Kyle Thayer Marc Susan Warren Lehrer Andrea Futter Sergio Polano Tamar Rosenthal Peter Claessens Peter Plate Phil Zimmerman Margo Johnson Pierpaolo Vetta Harry Arens Alice Polesky Lewis MacAdams Christine Higdon Kirsten Conran Rick Valicent Arch Garland Susan E. King Diane Best Rick Valicenti Heather Wyville David Carson Vincent van Baar Robert Kopecky Lev Nussberg Richard Feurer Augustine Chun Gail Swanlund Darice Koziel Judy Anderson Bert van der Meij Malcolm Garrett Damon Kidwell Somi Kim Allen Hori Ginny Hoyle John Hersey Steven R. Gilmore Stephanie Gould Barbara Glauber Rick Valicenti Paul Kwan Carlos L. Aguirre Allen Hori Kimberly Dumas Susan LaPorte Jeffery Keedy Arnold Iger Kristine McKenna Vincent van Baar Steven Schultz Ian Anderson Gerard Hadders Tom Bonauro Anne Telford Lucille Tenazas Austin Putnam Malcolm Garrett April Greiman Stefano Massei Marc Susan Wolfgang Weingart Anne Burdick Michael Dooley Glenn Suokko Charles Bukowski Tom Clark Patrick Li Christopher Vice Steven Heller Erik Spiekermann Brett Easton Ellis Leonid Lamm Neville Brody Gail Swanlund David Shields Tim Anstaett Michelle Vignes Roberto Barazzuol Kerri DuPont Edward Fella John Hersey John Weber Edwin Utermohlen Lyndon Valicenti Grant Muruaga Mitsuhiro Miyazaki William Nelson Lisa Ashworth Marc Susan Philippe Apeloig Jeffrey Zwerner Andrew Blauvelt Lisa Cohen Henk Elenga Lew Rakowsky Brian Schorn Dana F. Smith John Weber Melinda Harrold Hugues Boekraad John Fante Tibor Kalman Elisabeth Charman Putch Tu Andrei Toluzakov Richard Feurer Jennifer Azzarone Mark Bartlett Lewis MacAdams Hans Rudolf-Lutz Lori Middleton Victor Margolin Marek Majewski Polly Bertram Barry Deck Christine Celano Gavin Flint Daniel Volkart Nick Bell Andrew Blauvelt Tom Clark Hamish Muir Nathan Forque Joe Clark Peter Plate April Greiman Nick Bell Dave Wofford William Cone Richard Feurer Andrew Long Matt Owens Menno Meyjes Peter Bäder Gerard Unger Andrew Blauvelt Bijan Samandar Polly Bertram Jonathan Barnbrook Victor Margolin Badri E. Borghei Daniel Volkart P. Scott Makela Anne Burdick Marc Susan Roland Fischbacher Barry Deck Louise Sandhaus John Oomkes Peter Plate Margit Lustenberger Frank Heine Anne Burdick Victor Margolin Atto Squisito John D’Hondt Daniel Zehntner Miles Newlyn Adriano Pedrosa Philippe Apeloig Daniel Kapelian Alice Polesky Peter Mertens Neil Feineman Elliott Earls Henk Elenga Kathy Holman Bert van der Meij John Downer Anne Burdick Steve Baker Aad van Dommelen Glenn Suokko Veronique Vienne Ellen Lupton Abbott Berry van Gerwen Kevin Mount Matthew Carter Scott W. Santoro Elsa Frausto Elizabeth Dunn Vincent van Baar Joani Spadaro Malcolm Garrett Susan Lally Lisa Cohen Piet Schreuders Gerrit Achterberg Johanna Drucker Clement Mok Rick Vermeulen Joanna Warwick Lorraine Wild Rick Vermeulen Denise G. Crisp John Weber Laura Genninger Marc Susan Edward Fella Michiel Uilen Felix Janssens Takenobu Igarashi Esther Vermeer Debra Seagal Vincent A. Carducc Harmine Louwé Anne Bush John Weber Lisa Anderson Didier Crémieux Elizabeth Dunn Ton van Bragt Brian Schorn Ella Cross Helene Bergmans Anne Telford Phil Baines Gerard Forde Kevin Mount Lene Osberg Andrew Blauvelt Peter Plate Elizabeth Dunn Ko Sliggers Stuart McKee Stewart Greenway Ed McDonald Susan Roberts Nancy Bonnell-Kangas Vincent van Baar Lisa Koonts Will Nice Jan Jancourt Jeffrey Browning Martin Venezky Gerard Forde Gérard Mermoz Jutta Ottman Tamar Rosenthal Gianmaria Mussio Alan Marshall Roelof Mulder Daniel X. O‘Neil Mike Pratt Harry Arens Carrie McLaren Jonathan Hoefler Sven Birkerts Stephen Farrell Lorraine Wild Arch Garland Thomas Frank Bill Gubbins Lorraine Wild Steve Tomasula Stuart Bailey Vincent van Baar Jonathan Dee Jarrett Dean Kuipers Kenneth FitzGerald Marc Nagtzaam Rhonda Rubinstein Darice Koziel Bill Gubbins Shawn Wolfe David Thomas Daniel X. O’Neil Kenneth Garland Allen Hori J. Smeaton Chase Peter Maybury Putch Tu John Downer Kalle Lasn Rick Valicenti Elliott Earls Chuck Byrne Paul Roberts Bob Smartner Harmine Louwé Jeffery Keedy Darick Chamberlin Jack Stauffacher Carl Francis DiSalvo Steve Tomasula Ton van Bragt Gerard Hadders Martin Venezky Teal Triggs Andrew Blauvelt Stephen Farrell Gerard Forde April Greiman Deborah Griffin Bill Gubbins Teal Triggs Daniel X. O‘Neil Ko Sliggers Glenn Suokko Jonathan Barnbrook Kristina Meyer John Warwicker Susan LaPorte Vincent van Erik Spiekermann Kenneth FitzGerald Matthew Fey Frances Butler Diane Gromala Gerard Forde 22 G oo d lu ck

So me tim es y ou need a little luck

Ligature of Filosophia, font designed by Zuzana Licko, 1996 G

Zuzana Licko, 1997 Licko, Zuzana

pattern designed by by designed pattern

In style of hypnopaedia, hypnopaedia, of style In

king on the Mac. the on king

- wor enjoyed actually

a few illustrators who illustrators few a

and there were only only were there and

entirely new market market new entirely demand. This was an an was This demand.

„ in were illustrations

And these Macintosh Macintosh these And

trations. trations.

with computer illus- computer with

areas accessible. accessible. areas

became preoccupied preoccupied became

For about a year, Rudy Rudy year, a about For

was made for them. them. for made was The computer has made these these made has computer The

knew that this machine machine this that knew

behind the Mac, they they Mac, the behind

The minute they sat sat they minute The sense it lets us print as well. well. as print us lets it sense

magazine possible. possible. magazine

strip our own pages, and in a a in and pages, own our strip le and publishing the the publishing and le

- possib became Ideas

they started using it. it. using started they phic world upside down. down. upside world phic

do page layouts, and halftones, halftones, and layouts, page do

more focused when when focused more - gra whole the turned

their direction became became direction their Macintosh computer computer Macintosh

To be there at the right time at the right place right the at time right the at there be To

in terms of design, design, of terms in ched in 1984 when the the when 1984 in ched

we can now design type, write, write, type, design now can we

The couple stated that that stated couple The - laun just was Emigre

also became an indispensable tool for administration. for tool indispensable an became also

T place. right time, right

in many areas. Theoretically, Theoretically, areas. many in

in terms of typesetting, design, and production, but it it but production, and design, typesetting, of terms in chine. They were there, there, were They chine.

- ma new the out try to

only does it function as a great money and time saver saver time and money great a as function it does only

invited some illustrators illustrators some invited great opportunity to specialize specialize to opportunity great

Macworld Magazine Magazine Macworld

possible for Zuzana and Rudy to publish Emigre. Not Not Emigre. publish to Rudy and Zuzana for possible duced to the Mac when when Mac the to duced

- intro were Zuzana The Macintosh has given us a a us given has Macintosh The

The Macintosh contributed to making it financially financially it making to contributed Macintosh The

„ and Rudy Fortunately

Good luck Good 25 26 Ru les to que sti on

Pay attention to praise and criticism R

In style of Variex letterforms by Rudy VanderLans, 1988

toward the contents. contents. the toward 1990

„ font Gothic, Template

- reflec that structures

in favor of organic grid grid organic of favor in

standardized formats formats standardized

VanderLans rejected rejected VanderLans

In designing Emigre, Emigre, designing In

reading habits. reading

the page concurrently. page the set of rules. rules. of set notions of beauty. beauty. of notions

run crosswise through through crosswise run based on a very exact exact very a on based an affront to universal universal to affront an

dealing with old traditions of of traditions old with dealing

several articles would would articles several time were Swiss Style, Style, Swiss were time to Modernist ideals and and ideals Modernist to

every issue. Sometimes Sometimes issue. every ching methods at that that at methods ching and viewed as a threat threat a as viewed and

the look of Emigre with with Emigre of look the - tea The science. a like for visual incoherence incoherence visual for

I understand that we are are we that understand I

flexibility to reinvent reinvent to flexibility believe that design was was design that believe tion, it was attacked attacked was it tion,

compositions gave the the gave compositions Rudy was taught to to taught was Rudy - atten public receive to

Computerized page page Computerized In his design education education design his In When their work began began work their When all the rules either, because because either, rules the all

spoken words. spoken

wrong. We don’t entire ignore ignore entire don’t We wrong. craeted the rhythm of of rhythm the craeted

sations. Type variations variations Type sations.

- conver simultaneous

after time they are proved proved are they time after creating an impression impression an creating

and column width, width, column and

by font, size, leading, leading, size, font, by

typography, because time time because typography, Form is tied to context, or at least it should be should it least at or context, to tied is Form Each text differentiated differentiated text Each

exist within type design and and design type within exist W

throw, entrenched rules and to set new standards. new set to and rules entrenched throw,

it, have stimulated designers to defy, and even over even and defy, to designers stimulated have it, -

with the conventions that that conventions the with

directed and the fonts Zuzana Licko developed for for developed Licko Zuzana fonts the and directed We try not to be too concerned concerned too be to not try We

„ art and published VaderLans Rudy that magazin The

Rules to question to Rules 29 30 asm thu En si 1985) gned by ZuzanaLicko, Modula (Moduladesi- From bitmapfont to EJust enjoy thegreatexperience

„

kind of universal appeal? universal of kind

in design. design. in by Zuzana Licko, 1985 Licko, Zuzana by

Oakland 6, font designed designed font 6, Oakland

teresting development development teresting

that their work attained a a attained work their that

Bitmap typeface design, design, typeface Bitmap

- in and new for passion

VanderLans’s genuine genuine VanderLans’s

This is due to Rudy Rudy to due is This and expressiveness? Could it be be it Could expressiveness? and

up for in being relevant. relevant. being in for up

in refinement, it makes makes it refinement, in

What the magazin lacks lacks magazin the What in spite of its individualism individualism its of spite in

ver was very luxury. very was ver a large audience. large a

connection with their audience audience their with connection rence of clients, or the intent to make money. make to intent the or clients, of rence - ne Emigre magazines claim territory. territory. claim their fonts in action to to action in fonts their

Unlike a lot of design design of lot a Unlike others vainly tried to to tried vainly others ideas out and show show and out ideas

- interfe the without designers by self-initiated Mostly

in their own words. words. own their in red boundaries, while while boundaries, red opportunity to get their their get to opportunity

craft, their work made made work their craft,

that presents designers designers presents that - igno that magazine and Rudy saw a great great a saw Rudy and

al essays, political tracts, personal investigations. investigations. personal tracts, political essays, al designers, like a mirror mirror a like designers, ward and forward, a a forward, and ward nancial risk. But Zuzana Zuzana But risk. nancial

by, and about graphic graphic about and by, - out looked Emigre first of all a huge fi- huge a all of first

pleasure they took in their their in took they pleasure

The Emigre Spirit is filled with research projects, visu- visu- projects, research with filled is Spirit Emigre The Emigre is written for, for, written is Emigre Located in California, California, in Located To publish Emigre was was Emigre publish To

C out. one wear

through the pride and and pride the through

scouting sometime can can sometime scouting

rest of the group. But But group. the of rest

looking ahaed of the the of ahaed looking through their own humanity, humanity, own their through

scouts of visual culture, culture, visual of scouts

phic designers are the the are designers phic

- Gra stated, Keedy Could it be possible that that possible be it Could

Sometimes you can get too deeply involved involved deeply too get can you Sometimes

„ Jeffrey designer The

Enthusiasm 33 34 35 Impressum

Sources Museum für Kunst und Steven Heller: Merz to Emigre and Beyond: Gewerbe Hamburg Avantgarde Magazin Design of the Twentieth Century. Phaidon Press Inc., New York, 2003 Steintorplatz 20099 Hamburg T.: +49 (0)40 428134-880 Rudy VanderLans and Zuzana Locko: Emigre F.: +49 (0)40 428134-999 Graphic Design into the Digital Realm. Byron EMail: [email protected] Preiss Visula Publications, 1993 Internet: www.mkg-hamburg.de

Rudy VanderLans: The End. Emigre Final Issue Concept & Design No. 69. Co-pub. by Princeton Architectural Andrea Kahlke Press. Printed at Friesens Corp., Canada, 2005 [email protected] Muthesius Kunsthochschule www.emigre.com/Magazine Kommunikationsdesign www.tdc.org/news/type-directors-club-ho- Wintersemester 2017/18 nors-emigre-tdc-medal Support: Prof. Silke Juchter all patterns in this book by Emigre und Prof. Wolfgang Sasse

MUSEUM FÜR KUNST UND GEWERBE HAMBURG www.mkg-hamburg.de