Josep Queralt, master classes
In December 2004, a show opened at the Museum of Valls, birthplace of Josep Queralt (1910–1993), curated by Santi Barjau and Jordi Paris. It presented works produced by this pioneer for local businesses and industry, including Farmacia Muret, Porcelanas Isard, and the iron and steel manufacturer, agricultural cooperative and printing house Moncunill. In the introductory...
The Poster in Asturias
It is inspiring to see how in recent years a proliferation of initiatives have materialized in the form of monographic books or exhibitions that are serving to recover and value the work of the pioneers of Spanish graphic design. Virtually all the graphic artists that appeared in the book “Pioneers” in 2007, years later are...
Super Veloz Type: the supercalifragilistic typeface (I)
As the final echoes of Bauhaus and the avant-garde movements were sounding, Europe witnessed the emergence of the so-called New Typography, initiated by Jan Tschichold with the publication of his 1928 book of the same name. Adopting a san-serif typeface, rational design, asymmetrical composition and formal construction based on geometry were put forward as the...
The covers of Novelas y Cuentos (Novels and Stories)
Behind the powerful personality of the Osborne Bull figure, designed by Manolo Prieto in 1956, was a striking body of work which was of particular relevance to graphic design in Spain: the covers which, for over 15 years, were produced for the weekly publication Novelas y Cuentos (Novels and Stories) between 1940 and 1957. The...
Spain on posters
In 2005, the Division of Information, Documentaries and Publications from Spain’s Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade published a catalogue of official posters from Spanish tourism spanning the period between 1929 and 1959. This volume verifies how the promotion of tourism in Spain is not something recent, and, by the same token, it demonstrates contributions...
‘Arte Comercial’ magazine, advertising and organization?
“Arte Comercial” (Commercial Art) was one of the few examples in the Spanish publishing world of a journal specializing in the field of advertising. Founded in 1946 by Emeterio Melendreras, a professional that straddled the fields of advertising and design management, it included works by most of the graphic designers of the time: Manolo Prieto...
San Isidro* Pioneers in Madrid
In 1991, Carmen Herrero, director of Madrid’s Municipal Museum, organized a large and surprising exhibition, for the times, in the city titled “Festival Posters from the Museum’s Municipal collection, 1932-1991”. Although 118 posters were displayed on a variety of themes, the celebration of the San Isidro Festival predominated with a total of 90 posters, including...
“New Artists Collection” (and II)
Among the editions that account for the short life of the “New Artists Collection” (see previous post), number 12 is the one that stands out in the collection. Works appeared under the title “Fantastic Art” in an exhibition with the same name that brought together celebrated artists that included Miró, Calder, Picasso, Oteyza and Tâpies....
Filograf, a world of tests
‘When my father founded Filograf. Instituto de Arte Gráfico, in 1947, a dream he had worked towards came true: to have a design studio and graphic design workshop set up in the same place. His broad experience as a studio manager in the publishing house Industrias Gráficas Seix y Barral, from Barcelona, proved that this...
“New Artists Collection” (I)
The “New Artists Collection” was a “Clan” initiative, the Madrid bookstore-gallery-editorial, promoted by journalist, writer and editor Thomas Seral y Casas in the late 1940s. The activity of this promoter and inventor of cultural initiatives and founder of different gallery-libraries was significant to the renewed modernity tradition in Spain. The “New Artists Collection” consists of...
The FAD stars
The FAD stars (Foment de les Arts i del Disseny – Catalan design association) In December 1963 each member of the ADG/FAD (graphic design and communication branch of this design association) designed a star for their Christmas greeting. The card was designed by Tomás Vellvé and printed by Industrias Gráficas Casamajó, it is a piece of great beauty...