3 February – 7 March 2010
The Design of Dissent
Curated by Milton Glaser and Mirko Ilic
Exhibition Opening 3 February 2010
6:00 pm VCU Atrium
Lecture by Mirko Ilic and film screening of To Inform and Delight: the work of Milton Glaser, by Wendy Keys
The Design of Dissent in Doha Qatar in the Virginia Commonwealth University by the legendary Mirko Illic…
Let my people go…and a joint laugh between Mirko Ilic and Louai Alasfahani
At the exhibition…
Mirko and Emir, profesor at the American University of Sharjah…
Mirko pausing in front of his work at the exhibition…
an engaging conversation…
Let his people go…
An introduction to the Design of Dissent in which all the books were sold out ahead of the seminar…
Mirko getting ready to get on stage…
the stage is set and Mirko enlightens everyone with his knowledge and inspires us all with his dedication and passion…
Celebration at the Ritz after a successful event…
Dinner and shisha at the old town…
The gang in a group photo in front of the restaurant at the heart of the old town…
Rola, new in the old town looking back at the future…
A contemporary building on the creek.
This is my hotel the Grand Hayyat…
This is my room and the view from 208.
7:30 pm The Gallery
Reception
Graphic designers spend a good deal of their time persuading people to buy things, visit events, or to follow trends because they supposedly understand the nature of persuasion. Many of us feel that this skill can be applied to more significant purposes, such as commenting on the events of our time. Speaking out against tyranny has been one of the political roles that graphic artists have embraced throughout history. The advent of printing in 1440 presented the opportunity for graphic artists to disseminate their ideas to a wider public in the form of handbills and posters that are now reproducible. Many artists chose to comment on the political events of their time. The list is impressive and includes, among many others, Benjamin Franklin, Honore Daumier, Francisco Goya, Pablo Picasso, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Aleksander Rodchenko, Diego Rivera, George Gross, Ben Shahn, and Käthe Kollwitz. Today hundreds, if not thousands, of concerned graphic designers are involved in resisting the totalitarian impulses of governments and other powerful institutions. We decided to document some of the graphic designers active today who have expressed their concern about injustice through the use of posters and other printed materials. Our book and exhibition shows a small sampling of a vigorous commitment to public discourse that surrounds us today. It’s encouraging to see how many practicing designers are committed to an idea of social intervention and are using their skills to promote public good.
Milton Glaser
Milton Glaser (b.1929) is among the most celebrated graphic designers in the United States. He has had the distinction of solo exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art and the Georges Pompidou Center. In 2004 he was selected for the lifetime achievement award of the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum. As a Fulbright scholar, Glaser studied with the painter, Giorgio Morandi in Bologna, and is an articulate spokesman for the ethical practice of design. He opened Milton Glaser, Inc. in 1974, and continues to produce a prolific amount of work in many fields of design to this day.
Mirko Ilic
Mirko Ilic was born in Bosnia, former Yugoslavia. In Europe, he drew comics, illustrations, and art-directed posters, books, and record covers. He arrived in the U.S. in 1986 where he became the art director of Time Magazine International Edition. He later became art director of Op-Ed pages of the New York Times. In 1995 he established his firm Mirko Ilic Corp. He received numerous awards, including those from the Society of Illustrators, Society of Publication Designers, the Art Directors Club, I.D. Magazine, Print Magazine, Graphis, Society of Newspaper Design, and others. He has written several books with Steve Heller, including Genius Moves: 100 Icons of Graphic Design, Handwritten, and the Anatomy of Design. He has also written The Design of Dissent with Milton Glaser. He teaches masters degree illustration at the School of Visual Arts.
For further information please contact Dr. Jochen Sokoly, Assistant Professor in Art History and Gallery Director, Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, PO Box 8095, Doha, Qatar. Phone: +974.492 7200 or email jsokoly@qatar.vcu.edu
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Sounds like one great event. I wish I could make it. All the best.
It really was a fantastic event. I loved the passion that the students have for the industry, I met a lot of talented young people who will shape the future of this profession. I am looking forward to the next one
That trip looks amazing! It’s important to see young academics passionate about their fields of study.