‘Josef Čapek (1887-1945) was one of Czech modernism’s most formative protagonists. The artist first studied weaving before finding his métier as both a painter and designer. During a short stint in Paris, he befriended the poet Guillaume Apollinaire, who was then the leading theorist of and driving force behind Cubism. Capek adopted the Cubist style, fusing it with moodier elements of Expressionism and Symbolism to create a uniquely Czech take on the style. Alongside his work as a painter, Capek designed several hundred book covers from 1918 until his death in 1945 for Czech publications of early twentieth-century authors such as Apollinaire, Karel Capek, Jan Bartos, Josef Hora, Josef Kopta, Pierre Mac Orlan, Giovanni Papini, Pirandello, Miroslav Rutte and Georg Trakl and nineteenth-century authors such as Flaubert, Goethe, Kropotkin, Sheridan Le Fanu and Arthur Machen. Capek’s designs were much celebrated in Czechoslavakia for their simplicity and their virtuoso use of linocut. Itself a beautiful publication, The Book Design of Josef Capek: Seeing The Book presents a fully-illustrated and complete survey of this rarely seen work.’
Corporate Identity & Branding, Design Archive Feature, Members Only Content, Typography & Type Design
Working alongside André Gürtler and Bruno Pfäffli, Adrian Frutiger designed many logo designs. Here is a selection of the designs which were featured in Der Druckspiegel, December 1961. I have also translated and rewritten the descriptions to provide more depth.
Read Article
Corporate Identity & Branding, Design Archive Feature, Regional Histories, Studios & Collectives
When Fritz Gottschalk and Stuart Ash joined forces in Montreal, it was a partnership ideally suited to the city's hybrid environment. Gottschalk's training in graphic design in Switzerland, Paris and London was rigid, his background European; Ash, Canadian born and educated, was trained in the North American fashion, though he was influenced by his work with European designers
Read Article
Design Archive Feature, Magazines & Publishing, Members Only Content
The dedication of Gebrauchsgraphiks editors and publishers significantly influenced the spread and impact of graphic design, documenting countless designers who might otherwise have been forgotten over the last century since its first issue hit newsstands. Design magazines play a crucial role in supporting the design profession and remain vital resources for designers and historians alike.
Read Article