Josef Müller-Brockmann | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Müller-Brockmann speaking withRochester Institute of Technology students in 1987 | |
| Born | Josef Müller (1914-05-09)9 May 1914 Rapperswil, Switzerland |
| Died | 30 August 1996(1996-08-30) (aged 82) Unterengstringen, Switzerland |
| Alma mater | University of Zurich |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1936–1996 |
| Style | International Typographic Style |
| Spouse(s) | Verena Brockmann (married 1943–1964), Shizuko Yoshikawa (married 1967–1996) |
| Children | 1 |
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Josef Müller-Brockmann (9 May 1914 – 30 August 1996) was a Swissgraphic designer, author, and educator, he was a Principal atMuller-Brockmann & Co. design firm. He was a pioneer of theInternational Typographic Style.[2] One of the main masters ofSwiss design.[3][4] Müller-Brockmann is recognized for his simple designs and his clean use of typography, shapes and colors which inspire many graphic designers in the 21st century.[5]
Josef Müller was born May 9, 1914, inRapperswil,Switzerland.[5][6] He studiedarchitecture,design andart history at both theUniversity of Zurich atGewerbeschule,[5] andZurich University of the Arts (also known as Kunstgewerbeschule Zürich), where he studied with Ernst Keller and Alfred Willimann.[6]
He apprenticed in design and advertising with Walter Diggelman.[7] In 1936, he opened his Zürich design studio specializing ingraphic design, exhibition design, andphotography. In 1937, he joined the Swiss Werkbund (Swiss Association of Artists and Designers).[8] His favorite typeface to use wasAkzidenz-Grotesk.[5][9]
During the 1950s, Müller-Brockmann explored nonrepresentational abstraction,visual metaphor, subjective graphical representation, and constructive graphic design.[2] He used shapes and other geometric elements to express his work, without illustration or embellishments.[2]
In 1950, he produced his first of many concert posters for theTonhalle concert hall inZürich, which became known as the Tonhalle Series or "Musica Viva".[6][10] The Tonhalle Series grew increasingly abstract and focused on the feelings of the music.[5][11] He used a visual form to translate the mathematical system that is found in music, playing with visual scale, rhythm, and repetition, while trying to stay true to each musicians composition who was featured on the poster.[10]
In 1952, Müller-Brockmann designed an "accident barometer" which displayed statistics on reckless driving, which was displayed on a large scale sign inParadeplatz for his client the Automobile Club of Switzerland.[2]
In 1957, he began teaching at theZurich University of the Arts, replacing Ernst Keller as a professor of graphic design.[8] He was professor of graphic design at Zurich University of the Arts from 1957 to 1960, and guest lecturer at theUniversity of Osaka from 1961, and theUlm School of Design (German: Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm) from 1963.[6]
In 1958, Müller-Brockmann became a founding editor ofNew Graphic Design along withHans Neuburg,Richard Paul Lohse, andCarlo Vivarelli.[12][5]
In 1967, he was appointed as a European design consultant toIBM and formed his design firm Muller-Brockmann & Co.[8]
Müller-Brockmann's work is included in many public museum collections including theMuseum of Modern Art (MoMA),[13]Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum,[14]Museum of Design, Zürich (also known as Museum für Gestaltung Zürich),[15] among others.
In 1943, he married violinist Verena Brockmann, and together they had one son Andreas (born 1944).[16] At that point he changed his last name to Müller-Brockmann.[16] The first marriage lasted until 1964, when Verena was killed in an accident.[16]
In 1967, he married Japanese abstract painter Shizuko Yoshikawa.[16]
Müller-Brockmann was author of several books on design and visual communication.
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