Theory: Swiss Graphic Design

Books:

*Swiss Graphic Design: The Origins and Growth of an International style, 1920s by Richard Hollis 

*The form of Cities:Political Economy and Urban Design. By Alexander R. Cuthbert

*Posters, propaganda and Persuasion in Election campaigns Around the World by Steven A. Seidman

*Introducing Cultural Studies: A Graphic Guide by Ziauddin Sardar

*Borrowed Power: Essays on Cultural Appropriation

Swiss Graphic Design: The Origins and Growth of an International style- By Richard Hollis

*modern design began in the nineteenth century with artists looking for a new role in an industrialised society.

*After the first world war in Europe these artists brought about a revolution in design of print. This was introduced as the New Typography.

*Out went symmetry , ornament and drawn illustration; in came white space, plain letter forms and photographs. 

*The New Typography evolved in 1920s and 1930s. In this period, became the Swiss Graphic style has its roots.

*Henry Van De Velde, first a painter, than as an architect and theorist. 

*"That chain which was extended across the centuries which in the end shows just one family, one single family of pure form and pure decoration, a unique style: one that is rationally conceived, consisting of pure forms determined  by their function."

*Van de Velse was an Artist- Working for industry, producing 'commercial art'.

*In 1890 Van de Verde concluded, 'There will be no place in society of the future for anything which is not of use to everyone.'

*Abandoned fine art, as he believed painting has no social useful function, he created a precedent for those artists in the 1920s who gave up painting to become a Graphic Designer.

*The debate initiated by Ruskin and Morris, the social role of the artists and the impact of machine production- continued long into the twentieth century. 

*It engaged Italian Futurists, Constructivists in Russia and Central Europe, the De SHjl Movement in Holland and the Bauhaus school in Germany.

* Progressive architects, artists and designers committed their practical and intellectual energies to findings a new formal and visual languages, and at the same time a means for the artist of engaging in the cultural and industrial life of the new mass society. 

*Van de Velde produced essays of logic applied every kind of design. He took his lead from engineers and bridge buildings, admiring them from their employment of reason and calculation.

*In 1929 published essay 'The New' 'We want to create a durable new, one which renews itself, not a series of new 'new'. From now on, the style imposed by the machine will be marked by its clarity, by the precision which spontaneously endows each clear and precise design with Mechanical perfection.'

*Van de Velde formed Bauhaus, Arts and Crafts school which aimed to teach craft for mass production. The aim was to combine Art and Technology as a unity. 

*Signified Giedion (1933), art historian explains the objective of the Bauhaus "are to discover the new principles of form which are essential if the creative  forces of the individual are to be reconciled with industrial production, for the past ten years dependent on painting. The creative work of the Bauhaus is likewise based upon the principles of contemporary painting."

The President of the Swiss Wertbund, found in issue of 'Dan Werk" (1930-40). 

"Not only political and economic circles but also artistic and above all intellectual circles and caught up in this mad fenzy of revolution, promoted with an uncanny intelligence and sense of opportunism, without doubt largely induced and fostered by alien elements."

*The Bauhaus had attracted radical ideas from abroad, Giedion correctly identifying its driving force: Abstract art of the kind imported from the Dutch De Stijl movement and from Russia, in the form of constructivism.