vortrag_gespräche an der graphischen
ken garland

„protest graphics”

datum_mittwoch, 4. november 2015
zeit_19:00 uhr

ort_designforum | mq


ken garland
is a british graphic designer, photographer, writer and educator. he has made a significant contribution to the development of graphic design since the mid-twentieth century and formed the prolific design studio ken garland & associates in 1962 (until 2009) in camden, london, where he continues to live and work. one of his most influential contribution was his first things first manifesto 1964: ›[…] we have reached a saturation point at which the high pitched scream of consumer selling is no more than sheer noise. we think that there are other things more worth using our skill and experience on. […] we do not advocate the abolition of high pressure consumer advertising: this is not feasible. nor do we want to take any of the fun out of life. but we are proposing a reversal of priorities in favour of the more useful and lasting forms of communication. […]‹, that was signed by many of his colleagues at that time and was revived in 2000.

born 1929. studied commercial design at bristol 1946-48. army service as conscript 1948-50. studied graphic design and illustration at cass college london 1950-52. studied graphic design at central school of art and design 1952-54. art editor of magazine ‘furnishing’ 1954-56. art editor of magazine ‘design’ 1956-62. set up as ken garland and associates 1962-2009. launched small publishing venture ‘pudkin books’ 2008 (nine books published to date).

taught part-time at central school of arts and crafts, reading university, royal college of art. visiting professor of information design at universidad de las americas, mexico 1999-2003. visiting professor of graphic design at brighton university 2004 to date.

published work includes ‘first things first’ 1964, ‘graphics handbook’ 1966, ‘illustrated graphics glossary’ 1980, ‘mr beck’s underground map’ 1994,
a word in your eye’ 1996, ‘metaphors: a portfolio of text and image’ 2001.

has had one-man photographic exhibitions in uk, us, australia, ireland and portugal.

in his lecture ›protest graphics‹ he’ll show, and comment on, a selection of graphic art and design concerned with political and social unrest. among other things he’s keen to draw comparisons between tutored and untutored work in this regard.

» https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ken_garland