Winter 2009
Eye 74 contents
Eye 74 contents page
CRITIQUE
4 All mouth and trousers?
Challenged to design a poster, UK designers show mostly how little they care for the form.
By Rick Poynor
FEATURES
6 Archive: The shape of the century
How 1960s Op Art and cut-up culture informed the cover designs of Fontana Modern Masters paperbacks in the 1970s.
By James Pardey
18 Reputations: Karsten Schmidt
‘If we don’t take responsibility as makers we sacrifice everything … We have the power! The people who create things, make things work, we have the power. No politician has that.’
Interview by John L. Walters. Photograph by Jillian Edelstein
26 The show must go on
Buy a pension or a huge collection of theatrical type? For Celia Stothard and her partner, Alan Kitching, the choice was clear.
By Celia Stothard. Photographs by Phil Sayer
UNCOATED
81 Preview: Decode
82 Berlin special Monitor: Repossession
After years of wrangling, the posters that the Nazis stole from Hans Sachs are to be returned. But would they be better off in a Berlin museum? By Steven Heller
84 Reviews
Including: Ed Ruscha, Make / Think in Memphis, Studio Culture, Typography Papers 8, Freedom Rhythm & Sound, Logorama, Parrworld, Dieter Rams, Emigre no. 70
94 Berlin special Education: Volkssport design – live and let live?
Is the design profession at risk thanks to globalised hordes of web-savvy amateurs? By Florian Schmidt. Illustration by Adam Simpson
96 Colophon
BERLIN SPECIAL
34 Eye visits Berlin to explore the graphic output of this sprawling, labyrinthine and endlessly fascinating city
Introduction by Jan Middendorp. Illustration by Siggi Eggertsson
36 Berlin snapshots
Adeline Mollard, Fageta; Mark Diaper, Eggers + Diaper, ART+COM; Double Standards
Interviews by John Ridpath
42 Six degrees of Erik Spiekermann
Three decades of networking. It can seem that every other designer is linked to Berlin’s ‘Meta man’ – whether they’ve been hired, fired, taught, criticised or championed by him
Compiled by Liz Farrelly. Timeline designed by Jay Prynne
48 Berlin snapshots
Nick Kapica, SV Associates; Weiss-Heiten, Jutojo; Fons Hickmann m23
54 Depth of field
Detlef Weitz and Rose Epple (chezweitz & roseapple) are the new scenographers, who persuade museum curators to take the integrated approach.
By Jessica Jenkins
60 Before and after East met West
Much of a city’s history is written in its street signs. Berlin-born Verena Gerlach has turned their shapes and stories into typefaces
63 Berlin snapshots
Rinzen; Anna Haas; Siggi Eggertsson
66 On message
Content is king at Nicolas Bourquin’s Onlab, but its editorial focus incorporates a flair for visual delight and conceptual ingenuity.
By John L. Walters