Day 10

Notes

Herbert Matter - main guy moving from Bauhaus to Swiss design

Swiss born American photographer and designer

important for use of imagery, objective image, and scale shift

1936 - moves to America

Worked with Charles and Ray Ewes

Worked for Knoll furniture company

Modernism slow to take in US

Refugees of WWI force the change

Worked with Container Company of America

first company to create cardboard boxes

Tishold’s new text was not liked by American society

Lester Beal - Degree in Art History

Worked in design - self taught

used visual contrast, loved wood type

Worked a lot for rural electric administration

silk screening becomes popular since it is quick and easy

poster’s become very graphing with simplified abstraction

WPA (Works Project Administration)

Roosevelt’s idea to try giving people jobs

creates better housing

hosts concerts

made calendars

get people to go back to school

* Movie about Matter *

Thoughts

Class began with the teacher sitting in front of me talking about what was going to happen in the next 2 weeks of lecture. After a comment form the back thanking him for preparing everyone for the image section of the last one (his voice dripping in sarcasm) the teacher replies with a “you’re welcome” only to mutter under his breath something else. Being so close I was the only one to hear it and laughed at his remark whit made him realize I heard. No, I will not repeat what he said since he asked me not to, but it was a good way to start a class.

The lecture was straight forward and over all, somewhat interesting. On top of that it only lasted, at most, 40 minutes since that was when he started this new movie all about Herbert Matter. It was, thankfully, a recent movie, and was therefore interesting (thank you). In fact, I found it quite entertaining and think that questions for the final test should include some surprise questions from that since it took the rest of the class period.

In the end class was good. An interesting end, and movie I had no problem staying awake for, and a nice short lecture. If only it could be that way every week.