Author Jay Calderin holds up his Rockport Publishers book "Form, Fit, and Fashion" at the Fashion Session with Iris Apfel held Saturday, December 5 at The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA.
And here is the irreverent “Rare Bird of Fashion” Iris Apfel and famed fashion designer Michael Vollbract.
Fashionistas: You may also want to check out this very fun interactive “paperdoll” link, courtesy of The Peabody Essex Museum: http://pem.org/sites/iris/.
In these waning days of the political campaigns, we may be shocked by some of the outrageous claims we're hearing from candidates. However, they are nothing compared to what the tobacco industry has done to promote smoking. Especially in the pre-regulation days. (Maybe the financial industry needs as much regulation as the tobacco industry ... maybe even more!) In any case, the Stanford Medical School has collected some jaw dropping images from tobacco's heydey of advertising.
Not a Cough in a Carload: Images from the Tobacco Industry Campaign to HIde the Hazards of Smoking is the online repository of these images, which feature everything from babies, to doctors, nurses, cowboys, singers, and more. Here's some important history from their website -- sobering thoughts for sure:
Early in the last century, when questions about the health effects of smoking became a topic of widespread discussion, tobacco companies undertook a multi-faceted campaign to allay the public's fears. As terms like "smoker's cough" and "coffin nails" (referring to cigarettes) began to appear in the popular vernacular, tobacco marketers recognized the need to counter this threat to their livelihood.
One strategy was to use endorsements by healthy and vigorous appearing singers, Hollywood stars, and elite athletes. Another was to raise fears over weight gain: "Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet."Among the more reprehensible tactics was the utilization of the image of the noble and caring physician to sell cigarettes: Doctors were depicted both as satisfied and enthusiastic partakers of the smoking habit ("More Doctors Smoke Camels"). Images of medical men (and a few token women) appeared under soothing reassurances of the safety of smoking. Liberal use was also made of pseudo-scientific medical reports and surveys.
Our intention is to tell—principally through advertising images—the story of how, between the late 1920s and the early 1950s, tobacco companies used deceptive and often patently false claims in an effort to reassure the public of the safety of their products.
On first impression, most viewers will find these images outrageous, humorous, and so blatantly false as to trigger incredulity. But tobacco industry ad men also excelled in creative genius and had high levels of artistic skill. The best talent money could buy was recruited for this effort. Tobacco advertisers faced a daunting challenge: How do you sell a product which shortens the life of the user by an average of about 8 years? In 2003, the tobacco companies brought to this task a war chest of over $15 billion in advertising in the U.S. alone. Constrained by governmental regulation and fears of litigation, tobacco marketing strategies have evolved over time from the (now) transparent hucksterism of the 1920-1950 era. Companies invest enormous resources into crafting clever and highly sophisticated devices to get their message across (witness Joe Camel and the Marlboro Man). The take home point is that little has changed from then to now, save for the subtlety of the methods employed.
This looks like a cool exhibit at the Fort Points Arts Community Gallery.
PostGig is a special week long exhibit of original music posters by: Modern Dog, Aesthetic Apparatus, Patent Pending, The Small Stakes, Seripop, Hammerpress, The Decoder Ring and many more. The show runs for just a week, from September 14 through 20.
Curated by Clifford Stoltze, the show complements the recent launch of his book, 1000 Music Graphics which "offers designers a vast collection of inspiring and innovative graphic works form the world of music."
AIGA has annouced it's corporate leadership awards, "which recognize perceptive, forward-thinking organizations that place a premium on design and play an instrumental role in the advancement of design by adhering to its highest standards as a matter of policy." This year, they go to Design Within Reach and Harley-Davidson, which is being "recognized for its unparalleled strength as an iconic brand and its dedication to creating holistic customer experiences—from its innovative product and engine design to its unique retail environments, advertising and merchandising."
The timing is perfect as Harley Davidson has just opened a new museum, designed by Pentagram, on 20 acres in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The museum "brings our passion alive through exhibits and events that celebrate the people, products, culture and history that have made Harley-Davidson the icon it is today." Can't get to Milwaukee? Take a virtual tour of the museum, or purchase this Harley-Davidson anniversary book, Harley-Davidson Motor Co Archive. MotorBooks has a huge selection of H-D books from "101 Uses for an Old Harley" to mechanic manuals. Given the way gas prices are going, the sound of straight pipes -- and crotch rockets -- is undoubtedly going to increase!
So, walking down this swanky shopping street in Venice Beach, California a couple of weeks ago, we stumbled into this wow of an exhibition, We Shall Not Be Moved, International Graphics on Gentrification, Homelessness & Resistance, put on by the Venice Community Housing Corporation. Suitably enough, it was displayed in an very swanky, loft-style condo that was for sale for some millions or more dollars. Unfortunately, the exhibit is now closed -- we caught it on one of it's last few days -- but I snagged a few quick pics of the stunning and eye-popping poster art that we saw.
Nothing seems to infuse graphic design with quite as much power as the politics of justice or injustice. Also fortunately, I also picked up some literature on the Center for the Study of Political Graphics in Los Angeles. They are an "educational and research archive that collects, preserves, documents, and circulates domestic and international political posters related to historical and contemporary movements for social change." Check out their web site for plenty more in-your-face design, traveling exhibitions, and a store of wicked cool posters and other items.
“Alfredo Häberli was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1964. Today, he is an internationally established designer based in Zurich. He manages to unite tradition with innovation, joy and energy in his designs. The result are works with companies such as Alias, Camper, Iittala, Kvadrat, Luceplan, Moroso and Volvo.”
Alfredo also seems to be one heck of a nice guy. And he's got a cool, one-person show opening soon at the Museum of Design in Zurich. The opening for “Alfredo Häberli Design Development – SourroundThings” will be June 26th. http://www.museum-gestaltung.ch
I recently asked Alfredo how the exhibit came about. “To pay my studies and out of interest, I was lucky to start working with the Design Museum since 1988. First as an Exhibition Architect, later curating and editing books. Today I still continue working with the Museum and last year I was asked by Christian Brändle (Director) if I could imagine to have a personal exhibition in the main hall (1'000 m2). After being flattered for few days, I say yes. So here we are with a lot of work.”
Q/ You’re about to have your first solo show at the Zurich Design Museum. How did this show come about?
A/ To pay my studies and out of interest, I was lucky to start working with the Design Museum since 1988. First as an Exhibition Architect, later curating and editing books. Today I still continue working with the Museum and last year I was asked by Christian Brändle (Director) if I could imagine to have a personal exhibition in the main hall. After being flattered for few days, I say yes. So here we are with a lot of work.
Q/ What does the title of the show “SurroundThings” refer to?
A/ I found out during my studies, my interest for everything that is Around me in a room. The Surroundings were my everyday observations. In the title we wanted to talk about Around and Things (Objects), we put the words together to “SurroundThings”
Q/ How is the show organized, and what will be displayed?
A/ Together with Moritz Schmid, we have created an exhibition comprised of varied thematic areas and forms of depiction. Beyond the entrance, a laboratory conceived as a display storehouse stands at the centre of the hall. The large shelving unit filled with materials, models, prototypes and working studies for successful – but also unsuccessful – projects is an overview of a cheerful science that facilitates an approach to the studio’s work processes. Around 125 objects displayed in the three adjoining chalets come, for the most part, from the design collection of the Museum für Gestaltung Zurich. The exhibits are arranged according to various criteria and types such as, form, color, chairs or toys. While expressing a respect towards the history of design they also represent a source of inspiration that regularly serves as a basis for something new. Abstract “houses” are folded out, functioning like theatre sets that form the backdrop for 13 spots in which the unusual and witty combinations of objects presented offer a selection of the products carried out in the last 17 years, while at the same time revealing an often surprising perspective of the designer’s work. Each house has a theme such as “Conversation between Club Members” or “Take a View on Lines” that, within the context of the overall work, is important in illustrating the world of Alfredo Häberli Design Development. Two bell-like helmets contain over one hundred cartoons by Alfredo Häberli and provide an intimate insight into the world of ideas and the background to the projects. A further area with the recently created fabrics collection and a conceptual kitchen is understood as a view of the future. The exhibition makes no claim to be complete, but presents a work that is in a state of continuous development. The individual areas are accompanied by personal texts and speech bubbles that give visitors an insight into the thoughts and concepts of the studio.
Q/ The displays in the show are as interesting as the objects themselves – can you describe what you were trying to achieve by creating “houses” for these objects?
A/ In a Restaurant there 3 very important columns: 1) the food, 2) the service, 3) the interior architecture. In an exhibition there are also 3 important things: 1) the message, 2) the communication, 3) the sceneography all this three parts wants to reach the visitors. If there are few of them who understand it’s fine; of course you try to reach as many as possible. We wanted to have the architecture as a big piece of furniture, rather than show the products on a pedestal. It will be very sceneographic. But it is only possible, because we have 5 carpenters in-house.
Q/ What do you hope people will learn from your exhibition?
A/ My intention of the exhibition is not only to show the search for ideas, the backgrounds and challenges of the profession, but also to awaken interest and delight in design, and to encourage a respectful awareness of its themes.
We’ll have more thoughts on design, drawings, and what design does for the world from Alfredo next week.
