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