I noticed several reoccurring themes while away last week. One interesting obsession was with wrapped, stitched and bound typography. Here are a few shots from Paris, specifically from the Marais. The top photo is from a makeup shop, the second occupies an empty wall and the third is a poster from the Metro. The texture looks 3D, doesn’t it?
Here’s a halloween appropriate layout from Stefan Sagmeister. If anyone visits this show, we’d love to hear how it is.
The world of graphic design is constantly evolving and Taschen’s latest creative endeavor, Contemporary Graphic Design showcases the work of 100 of the world’s most cutting-edge designers today.
Alongside the array of visually stunning and thought-provoking advertisements, CD covers, posters, packaging, websites, and corporate identities are texts by each designer expressing his or her individual approach to graphic design as well as personal insights into the motivations behind the work.
By presenting a provocative survey of the most experimental and forward-looking design from around the globe, this book provides a intriguing snapshot of where the discipline presently stands and hopefully offers directions for the future.
No matter how detail oriented you are, Motoi Yamamoto will still beat you to the punch. Using salt and an extraordinarily steady hand, this Japanese artist merges organic influences with the most basic of natural elements, salt, to his build his masterfully intricate installations. Yamamoto’s work has progressed from an inquiry on death to the exploration of salt as a meditation on life. “Now I believe that salt enfolds the memory of lives…salt is used across culture as an antibiotic, preservative, and purifier. Salt is a life-sustaining element.” For the full story on Yamamoto’s work, pick up a copy of this month’s Theme Magazine– unfortunately the online version omitted the story.
It doesn’t take long to see techniques reinterpreted and trends take hold when an artist gains global acclaim. Using sugar in place of salt, Marian Bantjes, a typography genius, illustrates a variety of styles for Stefan Sagmeister’s book, Things I have learned in My Life So Far. Infusing a touch of luxury to this trend, Cartier crafts golden fingerprints for thier latest ad campaign, Trinity, which can be found in Time magazine’s April supplement entitled, Fashion’s New Attitude.