The Following Articles Were Authored Over the Past Two Decades
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The following articles were authored over the past two decades. Although some of the details have become irrelevant, the thrust of the articles continues to be germane. “BACK IN THE U.S.S.R.: (OR THAT Tired: what we have been doing for the past Unfortunately, publishing editors find type on I’ve never liked labels. Constructivism has cer- UKRAINE TYPE REALLY KNOCKS ME OUT)” five years an angle very difficult to read. This means that tainly had an enormous impact on the way I de- Originally published in the AIGA Journal of Too weird: what we will be doing in five years a good Constructivist design is usually killed in sign, but so has nearly every other movement Graphic Design, Volume 4, Number 1, 1984 Too ugly: what we will be doing in ten years favor of something “less complicated.” Another in art history at different times. It’s funny the way something suddenly looks editorial complaint is that it doesn’t look “seri- It’s 1983. I still think El Lissitzky is great, ous” enough. I confess that I don’t understand though sometimes I think he’s merely nice. I good. I was recently shocked to find that a cou- It is no coincidence that around the time that this complaint. They were dead serious in 1917. think I only have one year left in the U.S.S.R. ple of terrific El Lissitzky and Rodchenko posters I said “That’s great!” to El Lissitzky, two Rodch- In four years and after umpteen attempts, grace the pages of moldy art history books from enko books were published, followed by a big I’ve had only three constructivist designs reach “BACK TO SHOW AND TELL” my college days. In fact, there are Russian con- new Lissitzky book and The Art of the October the printing press. Two were posters for a CBS Originally published in the AIGA Journal of structivist posters in all the poster collection Revolution and Paris-Moscow and The Art of Records promotion of The Best of Jazz. The Graphic Design, Volume 4, Number 1, 1986 books that I accumulated over thirteen years; the Russian Avant-Garde, plus the George problem was to get twenty big names on a A year ago I relived an experience I had in my but for some reason, I never really studied them Costinokos exhibition at the Guggenheim with poster, not spend any money, and have it look ninth grade Algebra II class. The occasion was until 1979. the accompanying book, the Malevich book, etc. good enough to motivate record-store owners a seminar on graphic-design education at the I flipped by them when I was looking for It was also no coincidence that many of my de- to hang it up. Maryland Institute of Art in which some practic- Victorian inspiration. I ignored them when I was signer friends had gone Russian crazy at the The wonderful thing about being a de- ing designers and design educators shared a ripping off art nouveau and art deco designs. same time. When 500 unrelated people say signer in the music business is that nothing has common stage. The premise was sound: to gen- I discovered El Lissitzky when I was heavily “That’s great!” at the same time and incorpo- to mean anything. That doesn’t mean that it’s erate debate between these factions. However, into my Cassandre phase. I remember flipping rate the influence into their work, it constitutes easy being a music business designer. On the what resulted was disappointing. Instead of through The Poster in History and finding the a movement. contrary. When I did the Best of Jazz posters in meaningful discussion and clear explanation, black-and-white poster of a boy and girl whose In analyzing our response to Russian con- early 1980, the CBS Records marketing depart- the design educators gave pompous presenta- heads were merging together. There was a giant structivism, I’m convinced that we’re respond- ment didn’t understand that I was being influ- tions on the structures and curricula of their red “U.S.S.R.” running across their foreheads. ing to our political and economic climate in both enced by El Lissitzky. They were mostly con- schools supported by pedantic visuals and “That’s great!” I said. emotional and practical terms. The work of the cerned that the names be big and legible and charts. They spoke in jargon I’ve never used pro- At the moment I said “That’s great!” I was Russian constructivists represented the opti- that the posters be cheap. The marketing de- fessionally and didn’t understand. The lectures back in the U.S.S.R. I knew I would look for more mism of the Revolution and the Marxist utopian partment thought the posters were a little weird were so abstruse that I hadn’t a clue as to what El Lissitzky posters and that I would incorporate dream. But the late 1970s and the 1980s have stylistically, but that was OK because it made was going on in their schools. I wondered if the the style into my own work. been politically depressing times, a period of them new wave. students did either. I didn’t say “That’s great!” when I saw the negativity, conservatism, and a general lowering After the Best of Jazz posters came out, I The Algebra II syndrome (a compulsion to poster in 1974. In 1974, I looked at the giant of our personal and economic expectations. began getting calls from the graphics commu- hum 1960s rock and roll and make spitballs) is U.S.S.R. foreheads and said, “Too weird.” If we Constructivist work could make us feel we were nity asking me to submit work to various new- my reaction whenever theoretics (theoretics as want to predict future graphic trends, all we have creating a visual rebellion in inspired times. We wave shows. I would respond that I was not a an end in itself) are applied to design. At to do is pick up poster books and tape-record could make a graphic statement that was visu- new-wave designer, and then I would be asked Maryland, my feelings were compounded. The our responses to various genres and periods. ally strong although there was no justification specifically for the Best of Jazz poster. first was one of shame. That’s what happens Here’s what the responses mean: for it. Another triumph of style over substance. How can something blatantly ripped off from when I’m bombarded with incomprehensible The practical aspect of constructivism is that 1917 be considered new wave? language. Boredom follows shame: I tune out That’s great: what we are doing now or will be it is cheap to do. A vigorous and “important- Gene Greif, a designer who often displays and squirm in my seat. Then I realize I’m really doing tomorrow, even though every client will looking” graphic design can be had for the cost constructivist influences in his work, told me angry. Boredom is anger. I’m angry in this case reject it. of typesetting and a few photostats. recently that when he showed his portfolio two because the speaker is supposed to be talking Nice: what we have been doing for the past The drawback to the constructivist design and three years ago, everyone said it was “too about graphic design, not quantum physics. three years, and what we will resort to when approach is that it is very difficult to sell. Firstly, new wave.” “Now,” he tells me, “everyone says Semiotics was one of the favorite words “That’s great!” is rejected the most logical use for it would be on jackets for it’s too postmodern.” bandied about the Maryland session. In fact, Russian political books of that period. some of the educators took great pride in the classes to see whether they feel comfortable sign speak to give credence to the profession one box, one triangle, one circle in salmon, fact that their schools were breaking new with the approach being taught. because they’re embarrassed that it was once gray-green, or turquoise; cream, white, or light ground in this area. If so, why couldn’t any of When I first saw the work by the students called “commercial art.” Is it necessary to indoc- gray background them make the idea understandable? At the trinate students with jargon just to compensate entering my class, I thought that they were High-tech/Postmodern: same as postmodern risk of losing anyone who has read this far, the for a sense of professional inferiority? unprepared to enter the job market unless except change background to matte black and following is the Webster’s dictionary definition radical improvement occurred over the year. No change geometric shapes to primary colors of semiotics: “a general philosophical theory of amount of theoretical instruction would help. “THE RIGHT FACE” signs and symbols that deals especially with Therefore I created a series of complex assign- Originally published in the AIGA Journal of New Wave Generic: sans serif type in different their function in artificially constructed natural ments that were extensively critiqued. The chal- Graphic Design, Volume 5, Number 1, 1987 weights and heights, with italics intermittently language and comprises syntactics, semantics, lenge was to pinpoint what was wrong and show Let’s face it: We’re living in an era of style over dispersed; minimum of two ripped pieces of and pragmatics.” how it could be made better. My method was to substance. Every day we are going to be asked paper, one triangle (right triangle, not isosceles; How does it really apply to graphic design? use simple language and strong visual examples to give something “a look.” long, skinny, right triangle preferred; use hot I thought it would be fun to call seven of my fa- to illustrate my points.