Area. Ediz. inglese: édition en langue anglaise - Softcover

Long neglected, graphic design has been creeping into the consciousness of the general public. In our increasingly visual culture, it is an omnipresent form of creativity, something we are all influenced by whether we like it or not. Every logo, poster and CD cover confronts us with graphic design in some shape or form. It is the basis of all visual communication and arguably the most pervasive creative discipline of our times. Essentially an exhibition in a book, this title presents the 100 graphic designers arranged in an A-to-Z order. Each of the designers is featured over two double-page spreads, which are extensively illustrated with examples of their work. Alongside these examples, a 400-word text by the selecting curator explains his/her choice and illuminates the depicted work. The reproductions are further complemented with extended captions and biographical information on the designer. The book is characterized by the enormous diversity of the 100 graphic designers. Showcasing talents from Minneapolis to Macao, this text opens the door to the work of emerging designers practising in more than 25 countries around the world. It reflects a unique multitude of styles, ideas, and influences: an endless range of creativity from the playful, digital graphics of Eboy in Berlin, to the regional aesthetics of Chaz Mavyanne Davies of Zimbabwe or Ahn Sang-Soo of Korea; from the political awareness of Iran's Reza Abedini, to the more sober and traditional designs of the Italy's Leonardo Sonnoli. Beyond this extensive survey of contemporary graphic design, ten curators were also asked to choose what they consider a design "classic" - a piece of printed design from any era that is of particular significance to them. These "classic" pieces are showcased in the shorter, second part of the book, each accompanied by a brief text explaining how the piece fits into the selecting curator's general view and philosophy of graphic design.

Anthon Beeke (Netherlands): Provocative and acclaimed poster designer, as well as the designer of several Dutch design publications. He is an AGI member and a visiting professor at numerous universities, including the Rhode Island School of Design. Fernando Gutierrez (UK/Spain): A partner at Pentagram, one the most important international design firms, he is considered at the forefront of contemporary magazine design. He is the founder of the influential literary and photographic review Matador and is the creative director of Colors Magazine. Ken Cato (Australia): Founder and Executive Chairman of Cato Purnell Partners, an internationally acclaimed corporate design firm based in Australia with offices in SE Asia and South America. He was also the president of the AGI from 1997-2000. Nick Bell (UK): Artistic Director of Eye Magazine, arguably the most important and influential graphic design publication of the moment. Omar Vulpinari (Italy): Head of the graphic design department at Benetton's innovative Fabrica school, built and funded to encourage and foster some of today's most interesting young talents. Serge Serov (Russia): Considered the spokesman of the design community in the former Eastern Bloc, he is the organiser of the Golden Bee international graphic design biennial held in Moscow. He is also the designer of a Russian design journal (title tbd). Shigeo Fukuda (Japan): One of the masters of modern Japanese poster design. An AGI member and professor at the Tokyo Arts University, Fukuda's work is published and exhibited around the world. He has won numerous international awards. Stefan Sagmeister (USA): Known for his unorthodox approach and commercial work for the music industry. He has designed graphics and packaging for clients such as the Rolling Stones, Lou Reed, and Aerosmith. His outstanding work for bands has received, amongst many other prizes, four Grammy nominations. Uwe Loesch (Germany): One of the key poster designers of the last decades. His work has received many awards and is published and exhibited around the world. He is a professor at Wuppertal University in Germany and a member of AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale). Werner Jeker (Switzerland): A living legend of Swiss graphic design, he is the co-founder of the studio Les Atelier du Nord in Lausanne and the winner of many international awards. An AGI member, he is also a professor at the universities of Karlsruhe and Lausanne.