This massive monograph on seminal designer Alexander Girard covers
virtually every aspect of his distinctive career. One of the most
prolific mid-20th century designers, Girard's work spanned many
disciplines, including textile design, graphic design, typography,
illustration, furniture design, interior design, product design, exhibit
design, and architecture. Exhaustively researched and lovingly assembled
by designer Todd Oldham, this tome is the definitive must-have book on
Girard's oeuvre.Many of the designs featured here have never before been
published. Oldham carefully went through the entire Girard archive to
uncover many treasures as well as all of the most recognizable works by
Girard.
Girard is well known for his bold, colorful, and iconic textile designs
for Herman Miller (1952-1975), which are extensively featured. These
were often featured in conjunction with furniture designs by his
contemporaries: Charles and Ray Eames, and George Nelson. His designs
for La Fonda del Sol restaurant (1960) are an experiment with typography
as a communication tool and large-scale environmental graphic. Textiles
and Objects (1961) was a very influential New York store sponsored by
Herman Miller that featured Girard's designs inspired by his travels and
folk art collection. The Girard Foundation (1962) houses his own
personal and extensive collection of folk art, textiles, toys, and
objects from around the world. His complete environmental design for
Braniff International Airways (1965) gave him the opportunity to work at
all scales with color, graphics, textiles, and furniture design. He
designed every aspect of the project himself, from the minute-sized
sugar packets and the ticket counters to the graphic colors of the
planes themselves.
Alexander Girard's playful yet sophisticated designs continue to inspire
new generations of artists and designers. The breadth and scope of his
work is truly remarkable. This highly anticipated tome is the first
major retrospective of this very accomplished and prolific designer, and
has been painstakingly edited by renowned New York-based designer Todd
Oldham.
