Wolfgang Weingart
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Weingart is an internationally known graphic designer
and typographer. His work is categorized as Swiss typography and he is credited as "the father" of New Wave or Swiss Punk typography.
with his family and developed an interest in the local museums and for the arts.
, where he attended a two year program in applied graphic arts. He learned typesetting
, linocut
and woodblock printing
.
Between 1960 and 1963 he completed his training as typesetter in a small printing shop in Stuttgart, where he worked primarily doing hand composing. It was here that he first became familiar with Swiss typography and was soon an avid enthusiast.
and Armin Hofmann
, founders of the Schule für Gestaltung Basel
(Basel School of Design). Shortly after gaining acceptance into the school, Hofmann offered the 22 year old typesetter a position to teach typography. From 1974-1996 he also became an instructor at the Yale University
Summer Graphic Design Program in Brissago. For over forty years he has lectured and taught extensively in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. He retired in 2004, but continues to teach a summer program in Basel, Basics in Design and Typography.
According to Weingart, "I took 'Swiss Typography' as my starting point, but then I blew it apart, never forcing any style upon my students. I never intended to create a 'style'. It just happened that the students picked up — and misinterpreted — a so-called 'Weingart style' and spread it around."
. He was a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale
(AGI) from 1978 to 1999, and was on the editorial board of the Swiss typographic magazine Typographische Monatsblätter from 1970 to 1988.
Graphic designer
A graphic designer is a professional within the graphic design and graphic arts industry who assembles together images, typography or motion graphics to create a piece of design. A graphic designer creates the graphics primarily for published, printed or electronic media, such as brochures and...
and typographer. His work is categorized as Swiss typography and he is credited as "the father" of New Wave or Swiss Punk typography.
Childhood
Weingart was born in 1941 in the Salem Valley, where he spent his childhood. In 1954 he moved to LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
with his family and developed an interest in the local museums and for the arts.
Education
In April 1958 he began his studies at the Merz Academy in StuttgartStuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, where he attended a two year program in applied graphic arts. He learned typesetting
Typesetting
Typesetting is the composition of text by means of types.Typesetting requires the prior process of designing a font and storing it in some manner...
, linocut
Linocut
Linocut is a printmaking technique, a variant of woodcut in which a sheet of linoleum is used for the relief surface. A design is cut into the linoleum surface with a sharp knife, V-shaped chisel or gouge, with the raised areas representing a reversal of the parts to show printed...
and woodblock printing
Woodblock printing
Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and later paper....
.
Between 1960 and 1963 he completed his training as typesetter in a small printing shop in Stuttgart, where he worked primarily doing hand composing. It was here that he first became familiar with Swiss typography and was soon an avid enthusiast.
Teaching and work
In 1963 he presented his work to Emil RuderEmil Ruder
Emil Ruder , Swiss typographer and graphic designer, who with Armin Hofmann helped to found the Schule für Gestaltung Basel and a graphic style known as the Swiss Style....
and Armin Hofmann
Armin Hofmann
Armin Hofmann is a Swiss graphic designer. Hofmann followed Emil Ruder as head of the graphic design department at the Schule für Gestaltung Basel and was instrumental in developing the graphic design style known as the Swiss Style...
, founders of the Schule für Gestaltung Basel
Schule für Gestaltung Basel
Switzerland's Schule für Gestaltung Basel at the Allgemeine Gewerbeschule and its students have influenced the international graphic design community since it opened in 1968. Its tradition was shaped by influential personalities such as Armin Hofmann, Emil Ruder, Kurt Hauert and Wolfgang Weingart...
(Basel School of Design). Shortly after gaining acceptance into the school, Hofmann offered the 22 year old typesetter a position to teach typography. From 1974-1996 he also became an instructor at the Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
Summer Graphic Design Program in Brissago. For over forty years he has lectured and taught extensively in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. He retired in 2004, but continues to teach a summer program in Basel, Basics in Design and Typography.
According to Weingart, "I took 'Swiss Typography' as my starting point, but then I blew it apart, never forcing any style upon my students. I never intended to create a 'style'. It just happened that the students picked up — and misinterpreted — a so-called 'Weingart style' and spread it around."
Awards and affiliations
His work has been awarded a mark of excellence by the Swiss Federal Minister of the Interior in Berne. In May 2005 he was awarded the honorary title of Doctor of Fine ArtsDoctor of Fine Arts
Doctor of Fine Arts is doctoral degree in fine arts, typically given as an honorary degree . The degree is typically conferred to honor the recipient who has made a contribution to society in the arts...
. He was a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale
Alliance Graphique Internationale
Alliance Graphique Internationale is a club of the world’s leading graphic artists and designers. There are about 350 members from 27 countries.- History :...
(AGI) from 1978 to 1999, and was on the editorial board of the Swiss typographic magazine Typographische Monatsblätter from 1970 to 1988.
Publication
- Weingart, Wolfgang. Weingart: My Way to Typography. Baden: Lars Müller Publishers, 2000 (ISBN 978-3907044865)
External links
- Archive-Weingart
- Basics in Design and Typography Summer Program
- Weingart's graphic design in the permanent collection of MoMAMomaMoma may refer to:* Moma , an owlet moth genus* Moma Airport, a Russian public airport* Moma District, Nampula, Mozambique* Moma River, a right tributary of the Indigirka River* Google Moma, the Google corporate intranet...
: http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A6289&page_number=3&template_id=1&sort_order=1 http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A6289&page_number=4&template_id=1&sort_order=1 http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A6289&page_number=5&template_id=1&sort_order=1 http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A6289&page_number=6&template_id=1&sort_order=1 http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A6289&page_number=7&template_id=1&sort_order=1 http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A6289&page_number=8&template_id=1&sort_order=1 - Lars Müller Publishers
- Wolfgang Weingart’s Typographic Landscape, by Keith Tam.