Swedish Modern in Print

by Steven Heller · 4 comments

Daily Heller Ronny Johansson

Overlooked in the history of graphic design - and specifically poster history - is the Swedish legacy. This did not go unnoticed by Paul Lipschutz, a collector with over 10,000 items in his collection, who in 1982 mounted "Street Spectacle Sweden," an exhibit of many rare theater and film posters, in Minneapolis, New York and Philadelphia. Little remains of the show, but I recently found the catalog, sponsored by the Swedish Institute.

Amid the exquisite graphics were a number that exemplify illustrative minimalism. While stylistically consistent with the similar Object Posters and the Plakatstil of the early twentieth century, there are some decidedly original specimens too. Here for your perusal are posters by (from top to bottom)Einar Nerman (1916); Einar Nerman (1917); Anon (1940); R. Engströmer (1916); G. Magnusson (1932).

Barnens Dag

Charles Chaplin Dictatorn

Carmen

Vasateatern Gosta Ekman

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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Nic Human August 24, 2011 at 10:36 am

Wow these are magnificent in its simplicity!!! Showing a true understanding of design. In my master's thesis I am currently wrestling the influences of the major theoretical paradigms on graphic design, such as modernism and post-modernism. I find it very difficult to not write too much, as well as not over simplifying the theories. I hope my trip to NYC will shed some light on this.

2 Will @ 50 Watts August 24, 2011 at 3:59 pm

I recently did some posts on Einar Nerman on 50 Watts. A master. I will definitely look up this book!

3 Max Hirshfeld August 24, 2011 at 8:26 pm

Wow! Thanks you for digging...
 

4 Max Hirshfeld August 24, 2011 at 8:27 pm

Wow! Thank you for digging...
 

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