What is the criterion for "good" graphic design? In a culture where we are more than ever alienated from our environment, where the ru-inous mantra of "more choice" has merely given rise to a frenzied eclecticism, we need to look beyond the most recent computer pack-age as a tool to prop up the impoverished content of a design brief.Confronted by the narrow criteria by which their industry is defined,many designers have begun to question whether we can create a visual language that is ethically informed, one that attempts to reveal the true cost of our accelerating consumption. ...

One of the twentieth century's most important graphic designers,the Swiss-born Mvller-Brockmann is the father of functional,objective design and an influential figure for generations of designers around the world.While many of his contemporaries moved to the United States and elsewhere in Europe,Mvller-Brockmann based himselfin Zurich and established his reputation there.He adapted his approach to a changing world,moving from an early illustravie style to a modern constructivistapproac ,making u use o geometricaform and the grid system to provide an un-derlying structure to graphic work.

Mvller-Brockmann is perhaps most known for his large array of music posters, prod-uced from the early 1950s to the early 1970s,which graphically represent the musical character of each specific performance. In addition to these iconic designs, Mvtter-Brockmann completed a number of books on graphic design and its history, includ-ing the influential The Grophic Designer ond his Design Problems.

This volume is the most definitive mono-graph to be published on Josef Mvtter-Brockmann. It traces MuUer-Brockmann's life from his childhood through his early training, rarely seen designs for the theater,famous posters for the Zurich art scene,corporate design work for cUents like IBM,and, finally, his efforts to educate young designers. With assistance from the Museum fvr Gestattung, Zurich and the Josef Mvller-Brockmann Archive, this book is extensively illustrated with completed works, eriod photography,rare sketches,concept drawings and personal photos.

Introduction

Seriously Playfut

Playfutty Serious

Universat Style

New Graphic Design

Education

Corporate Identity 

Postscript