Tag: design

Designer Desire: Cassandre

Mosaic of artworks by Cassandre - aka Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron | H is for Home

Mentor to last week’s Designer Desire focus, Raymond Savignac, Cassandre was an international graphic design and advertising heavyweight of the 20th century.

Cassandre – real name Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron – is best known for his playful Dubo Dubon Dubonnet artworks and his travel posters. They really give the feel of the time; the 1930s were all about modernism and the machine age – speed, sleekness and adventure. It was an epoch when international travel was becoming accessible to the masses.

He was responsible for creating the famous Yves St Laurent logo and scarf and playing card designs for Hermès. He also produced a number of typefaces including Acier Noir, Bifur, Greyhound and Peignot.

His works are in the permanent collections of MOMA and the V&A. His original posters can fetch as much as £30,000. However, a selection of prints are available from less than £10.00.

Portrait of Cassandre - aka Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouroncredit

Additional image credits:

Christies

Designer Desire: Gunvor Olin Grönqvist

Collage of Gunvor Olin Grönqvist designs | H is for Home

In this week’s Designer Desire, it’s the turn of yet of another individual from the hugely talented Arabia stable, Gunvor Olin Grönqvist (1928-2005).

During our action-packed week in London a fortnight ago, we spent a sunny afternoon at the V&A exploring their splendid glass, ceramic and metalware galleries. They had a fair few modernist Scandinavian examples on display, including a couple of sculptural pieces by Olin Grönqvist (see top right image).

She worked at the Finnish ceramic firm for her entire professional career, which spanned 1951 to 1992. She was responsible for designing many of the company’s enduring patterns including Fructus, Köökki, Kosmos, Sirpa, Löyly (Steam), Sauna, Nimeton (Anonymous), Nooan Arkki (Noah’s Ark), Kengu, Valpuri, Soraya, Atelje, Haarikka (tankard), Tea For Two, Mimmi, Mamselli, Laura and Emma.

You can find vintage examples of her crockery and serveware readily on eBay and Etsy.

Portrait of Gunvor Olin Grönqvist | H is for Homecredit

Additional image credits:

1st Dibs | Bukowskis | Pinterest

Designer Desire: Kirsten Ulve

Mosaic of Kirsten Ulve illustrations | H is for Home

Kirsten Ulve is a New York-based artist and designer. Her work initially caught my eye because it reminded me so much of one of my faves – Lefor Openo. I think it’s something in the eyes.

Amongst her clients are prestigious companies such as The New Yorker, Vogue Japan, Glamour Germany, Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, Volvo, The Guardian, The Boston Globe, The New York Observer, Los Angeles Magazine and The Hollywood Reporter.

Check out more of her wonderful work on her portfolio pages on Behance and The i Spot. A few of her prints and silk scarves are available to buy in her shop.

Portrait of Kirsten Ulve

All images © Kirsten Ulve

Designer Desire: Eric Gill

Mosaic of Eric Gill designs | H is for Home

Eric Gill (1882-1940) is probably best known for his typeface designs – most famously, the influential Gill Sans and another created for WH Smith’s shop signage. He was also the creator of Prospero and Ariel, the sculpture that sits above the entrance to the BBC’s Broadcasting House and the Stations of the Cross (the preparatory drawings for them are pictured at the top of our mosaic) in Westminster Cathedral.

He founded the Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic, a religious Arts & Crafts commune in Ditchling, Sussex. The community embraced self-sufficiency and shunned modernity and mechanisation. He was obsessed with Catholicism and sex in equal measure; he is infamous for his extramarital affairs and sexual relations with his sisters and daughters. Despite this abhorrent behaviour, I agree with art critic, Ben Lawrence:

To separate art from the artist, to abhor his work because of what he has done, is to close your eyes to the endlessly joyous possibilities of artistic endeavour.

Prints of many of his original works are available on art.co.uk and eBay.

Portrait of Eric Gill

Image credits:

The British Museum | Tate Galleries