Milton Glaser | |
|---|---|
 Glaser pictured at theCooper Hewitt museum with his iconicDylan poster in the background (2016)[1] | |
| Born | (1929-06-26)June 26, 1929 The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| Died | June 26, 2020(2020-06-26) (aged 91) Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Notable work | |
| Spouse | |
| Relatives | Steven Brower (first cousin once removed) |
| Awards |
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| Website | MiltonGlaser.com |
Milton Glaser (June 26, 1929 – June 26, 2020) was an Americangraphic designer whose most recognized works include theI❤ NY logo,[3][4][2] the 1966Bob Dylan poster,[5][1][6] as well as late 1960s publicity posters for the introduction of theOlivetti Valentine typewriter,[7] and logos forDC Comics,Stony Brook University,Brooklyn Brewery amongst others.
In 1954, he co-foundedPush Pin Studios, co-foundedNew York magazine withClay Felker, and established Milton Glaser, Inc. In 1969, he produced and designed "Short Subject", commonly known as "Mickey Mouse in Vietnam", a short 16mm anti-war film directed by Whitney Lee Savage (father ofAdam Savage). His artwork has been featured in exhibits, and placed in permanent collections in many museums worldwide. During his long career he designed many posters, publications and architectural designs. He received many awards for his work, including theNational Medal of the Arts award from PresidentBarack Obama in 2009, the first time a graphic designer received this award.
Glaser was born inThe Bronx, New York City. His parents, Eugene and Eleanor (née Bergman), wereHungarian Jewish immigrants. The family resided in theSouth Bronx.[3] His father owned a dry-cleaning and tailoring shop; his mother was a homemaker. Glaser took drawing classes with artistsRaphael andMoses Soyer before attending theHigh School of Music & Art inManhattan.
After graduating from theCooper Union in New York City,Reynold Ruffins,Seymour Chwast,Edward Sorel and Glaser foundedPush Pin Studios in 1954.[8] Glaser joined after his return from Italy.[8][9] In 1957, thePush Pin Monthly Graphic was sent out to friends and clients.[8] The studio's work rejected tradition and favored "reinvigorated interpretations of historical styles".[8] Glaser and Seymour Chwast directed Push Pin Studios for twenty years, while it became a guiding reference in the world of graphic design.[10] The studio "redefined and expanded the imprimatur of the designer, illustrator, and visual culture at large".[8]
Glaser started his own design firm, Milton Glaser Inc., in 1974 and left Push Pin Studios the following year.[9] In 1983, Glaser formed a partnership with Walter Bernard and established a publication design firm called WBMG in New York City. WBMG has designed more than 50 magazines, newspapers and periodicals around the world.[11]
Over his career, Glaser personally designed and illustrated more than 400 posters.[9] Milton drew heavily from early 20th century artists to create his own signature style that consisted of playful, psychedelic graphics with controlled blasts of colors along with silhouettes and bold geometric outlines.[12] His work is displayed in theCooper Hewitt National Design Museum, New York; theVictoria and Albert Museum, London; and theIsrael Museum, Jerusalem.[9] His work has also been featured in exhibits internationally.[11][9] He had one-man shows at theCentre Georges Pompidou in Paris and theMuseum of Modern Art in New York City.[11]
In 1988, Glaser designed the New York City Shelly Fireman-owned Italianate eatery Trattoria Dell'Arte across fromCarnegie Hall.[13]
Glaser was the subject of the 2008 documentary filmTo Inform and Delight: The World of Milton Glaser.[14] A tribute to Glaser, still working in his 90th year, was published inThe New York Times in 2019.[15] That same year, Glaser decided to list his office townhouse at207 East 32nd Street for sale given his age and deteriorating health.[16] The building was sold for $7.5 million in 2020 toThe New York Review of Books.[17]
Milton Glaser was the uncle of Gabby Glaser, of the bandLuscious Jackson. He was also a first cousin once removed of graphic designerSteven Brower; Glaser was Brower’s mother’s cousin.[18] He died of astroke andrenal failure in New York City on his 91st birthday.[9][19]
Glaser's parents were mildly observant Jews, and throughout his life Glaser himself was casually observant, which included fasting onYom Kippur and hosting an annualPassover seder. Glaser stated that his Jewish background played a part in inspiring his designs, sometimes more than his American background.[20][21]
He married Shirley Girton on August 11, 1957. His wife also graduated from the Cooper Union.[22]
In 1966, Glaser designed a poster forBob Dylan's Greatest Hits.[1][23] It was one of Glaser's first posters. The poster depicts the profile of Dylan's face with psychedelic, swirly hair, with "Dylan" written at the bottom in Baby Teeth, one of Glaser'stypefaces.[19] His inspiration for the poster wasMarcel Duchamp's 1957Self-portrait; andArt Nouveau, saying "That was an influence for the colors and shapes in the picture."[5] Six million posters have been printed and distributed, and sell for hundreds of dollars as collectibles.[5]
One of Glaser's most recognizable works is his I Love New York logo.[2] In the mid-1970s, New York City's crime rate was up and the city was widely perceived to be dangerous and was on the verge of bankruptcy.[14] In 1977, the State of New York hired advertising agencyWells Rich Greene and Milton Glaser to design a logo to increase tourism.[9] It was Glaser who came up with the design while sitting in the back of a taxi cab on the way to the meeting.[24] The logo consists of the capital "I" and a red heart, stacked on top of the letters "NY" inAmerican Typewriter typeface, symbolizing New York. His inspiration for the logo wasRobert Indiana'sLOVE design, with the four letters stacked on top of each other. "Glaser loved New York so much that he gave his work to the city for free, hoping it would become public property."[24]
The logo earns New York state $30 million each year and has become a pop culture icon. It is reproduced on everything from coffee cups to T-shirts and hats. The logo can be seen everywhere in New York City.[24] Robert Indiana's work influenced Glaser who in turn has inspired other designers to create variations on the layout, for example "I Heart Radio". The state has filed nearly 3,000 objections against them.[25]
After theSeptember 11 attacks, the logo became even more of a symbol, creating unity between the public. Glaser designed a modified version saying, "I Love New York More Than Ever", in response to the attacks. The red heart has a small blackened and burned area along one edge to symbolize the attack on theWorld Trade Center site.[26]
The logo is included in MoMA's 2025 exhibition,Pirouette: Turning Points in Design, a collection of "widely recognized design icons [...] highlighting pivotal moments in design history," such as theBean Bag chair, theSony Walkman portable cassette player, and theNASAWorm insignia.[27][28][29][30][31]
In 1968, Glaser andClay Felker foundedNew York magazine.[32] The magazine was about being on the reader's side, "it was about what was happening in New York City at the time."[33] One example of this is "The Underground Gourmet". It was about cheap restaurants in New York. Glaser wrote the column for seven years withJerome Snyder. It was one of the most popular columns in the magazine.New York "became the model for the city magazines, and stimulated a host of imitations".[32] Glaser left the magazine in 1977.[19] In 1993, thanks to Glaser's history withNew York, he was tapped byJohn F. Kennedy Jr., in conjunction with his partnerMichael J. Berman, to work with them to create the image they were seeking for their start-up magazineGeorge.
In 1970, Glaser designed his namesake typeface,Glaser Stencil, which drew inspiration from geometric sans-serif fonts such asFutura andAvant Garde.[34]
In 2019, Glaser redesigned the historical 'rhino' logo of theItalian communication agencyPomilio Blumm.[36] Stemming from this experience, a documentary titledA Social Design Story was produced.[37]
In 2004, Glaser won aNational Design Award Lifetime Achievement from theCooper-Hewitt National Design Museum for his profound and meaningful long-term contributions to the contemporary practice of design.[11]
In 2009, he was awarded theNational Medal of Arts by PresidentBarack Obama and First LadyMichelle Obama at the White House.[9][32] Glaser is the firstgraphic designer to have received this award.[32]
Glaser was honored as one ofThe New Jewish Home's 2015 Eight Over Eighty honorees.[38]
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