Akzindenz Grotesk, Typeface

Akzindenz Grotesk is a sans serif typeface which was first published in the late 1800s (under the title Accindenz Grotesk) by one of the most successful and largest foundries in the whole world, the German type foundry H.Berthold. Akzindenz Grotesk was the first sans serif to be used across the board as it became popular and known by the public immediately. This typeface is seen everywhere as it is very useful to use it in magazines, newspaper headlines, price lists, forms and text because of its clearness, ''They gave Akzindenz-Grotesk the ultimate accolade a typeface can have: a functional, formal rightness, transcending whims of fashion'' by Karl Gerstner. It has influenced plenty other typefaces later.

Bibliography:
http://www.rightreading.com/typehead/akzindenz_grotesque.htm

Basma AlMashat

Azcuy, René

René Azcuy (b. 1939 — Havana, Cuba) is one of the most influential designers of the cartel design in Cuba- Mexico. He started making posters, logos, designs for CD covers, brochures and press headlines; achieved the conceptual communication in his own initial language and today he is one of the role models in the school of Cuban Graphics.

From the decade of 1970's René obtained a proper style — black and white images, it featured photographs in high contrast, the first closed and first framings. All this perhaps influenced by his previous studies in art (the National School of Fine arts “San Alejandro“ and Higher institute of learning of Arts and crafts, Havana, Cuba) and his closeness in the cinematographic area since his foundation (ICIAC "The Cuban Film Institute").

As a designer he presented two personal exhibitions, which are "The Hands of Azcuy" Are Salted by Rubén Martínez Villena, Gallery UNEAC, Havana, Cuba, 1977 and "Affiches de René Azcuy" Maison de L'Amérique Latine, Paris, France, 1988. From 1964 he also took part in multiple collective exhibitions in Cuba, Mexico, Columbia and Italy.

He is currently one of the most important professors in the BUAP (Civil Guard Autonomous University of Puebla) and also in the Institute of Top Studies in Architecture and Design in the same city.

In 2009 the number of contemporary cuban designers (Osvaldo Gaona,Elmer Sosa, Hugo Rojas) organized an exhibition "CONCEP70" to celebrate 70 years of life full of knowledge, concept and love to the design of René Azcuy.

Image: Stolen Kisses. The red stamp of the flat area of color on the extended photographic detail represents an extraordinary concept.; something similar happens with the red little flags that cubans shows to the world to celebrate the day of the workpeople.

Links: http://osvaldogaona.blogspot.com/2008/10/serie-la-calle.html (Osvaldo Gaona blog)
http://gaonadiseno.blogspot.com/ (70's exhibition blog)

by Alena Zaynullina

Grasset, Eugène

Eugène Grasset (1845-1917) was a Swiss-born, Art Nouveau Designer. Son of a sculptor, he was raised in an artistic environment. Some of the influences in his work are inspired by a visit to Egypt, a trip that took place shortly after he finished his education. In 1871 he moved to Paris to pursue an interest in designing ceramics, jewellery and furniture fabrics. Using very unique materials such as gold and ivory, his work was considered a cornerstone of Art Nouveau motifs and patterns. Later, in 1877 Grasset focused on Graphic Design by producing postcards and stamps for France and Switzerland. Eventually poster art was to become his main practice.

Several American companies contacted Grasset due to the growing popularity of his poster designs, this lead to his first American commission in the 1880’s. Grasset experienced more success after designing the Harper’s Magazine Christmas issue of 1892.

Towards the end of the 19th century, Grasset taught design at École Guérin, École d’Art graphique and at Académie de la Grande Chaumière.

‘Grasset’ typeface was introduced at the Universal Exhibition of 1900, an italic design Eugène Grasset created and used in some of his posters.

Image link:
http://www.parisposters.com/image.ph p?q=100&l=430&image=FB/FB_247

Auriol, Georges

Georges Auriol (1863 – 1938) was a French Writer, Poet, Graphic Designer and Painter closely connected to the Art Nouveau movement that peaked at the start of the 20th Century. Although important in shaping the editorship of the ‘Chat Noir’ newsletter, a periodical accompanying the most famous Cabaret bar of the movement, Auriol’s single greatest achievement was the Auriol Typeface, created for the type foundry Deberny & Peignot. It’s flowing, organic forms, influenced by Japanese calligraphy, were typical of Art Nouveau, and quickly found use across Posters, Book Covers, and the Paris Metro, leading to Steven Heller’s assessment of Auriol as the, ‘quintessential Art Nouveau designer’.

References:
Linotype (2009) [online]. [Accessed on the 26th October 2009], http://www.linotype.com/654/georgesauriol.html

Heller, S. and Filli, L, Typology, Chronicle Books, 1999.

Frank Lloyd Wright

American architect Frank Lloyd Wright had function at the heart of many of his architectural projects.
http://www.prairiestyles.com/wright.htm

William Morris

British born pioneer of rethinking the role of art in the emerging industrialisation of society.
http://www.morrissociety.org/

The theory lecture is dead.

Emerging from the spirit of the age this collaborative venture, has an inclusive learning and teaching objective at its core. Contributions will come from the group of emerging voices in the field of graphic design and visual communication atcamberwell. Individual research interests (then), will appear alongside key prompts from staff and visiting speakers (now) and spark wider discussions (next).
The aim being for contributors to identify and define the role of graphic design in the cultural, social and economic world of 2010 and beyond. This will inform individual professional development in terms of determining critical position(s) on the issues that will shape graphic design of the future.