Few graphic designers command as much respect as Otl Aicher, a man who grew up during the Nazi tyranny and never lost sight of his personal or political ideals. Aicher was instrumental in preserving the modernist flame in design education, founding the Ulm School of Design in 1953 with his partner Inge Scholl and the Swiss designer Max Bill. He then made the smooth transition from activist and advocate to the world of corporate design, creating logos and identities for BASF and Lufthansa, among others. His pictograms for the 1972 Munich Olympics are among his most famous and enduring creations, and in later years he enjoyed a close working relationship with Lord Foster, ably complementing the information demands of the architect’s ultra-precise buildings with crisp signage and fonts.
This month, to coincide with a new monograph treatment of Aicher’s work (see this month's issue of Wallpaper*), an exhibition, ‘Otl Aicher and the Munich Olympiad’, is showing at London’s Vitsoe showrooms, curated by graphic design consultancy Bibliotheque. Featuring a wealth of items from the team’s personal collection as well as contributions from the archives of Aicher’s original design team, it is a real treasure trove for graphics fans.
Click on the image below for a sneak preview of the show:
INFORMATION
72: Otl Aicher and the Munich Olympiad; 15 February - 15 March; Vitsoe, 72 Wigmore Street, London; 44.20 7935 4968
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