Enquire within - a designer's art

Murray GM January 30, 2015

This wonderful little design artefact was created by the late, great Ian Noble. It's self published and I believe was created for his Masters work at Brighton. Part puzzle and part intellectual exercise - it's a lovely design object. One of the things I love about it is its visual patina. It's only a two colour print job but through the use of found ephemera, rubber stamps and stickers it manufactures a rich and intriguing look and feel. Its very design stimulates the reader to enquire, to investigate what it is all about. Very much a labour of love, with each copy having a uniqueness through the many hand crafted elements. This is one of 150 copies.

I was an undergrad when I first met Ian and was lucky enough to have him as a tutor. He opened my mind to many ideas, from 'pataphysics to the necessity for designers to take responsibility for their work, not just the design but it's also it's effect on the world. He taught the importance of ethics in design and how the things we create always have an agenda and an influence - there are always politicised, whether we accept it or not. Sadly, Ian passed away two years ago this January, but I'm sure for everyone that he touched his influence is still very much at play and the design world is a better place because of it.

American Apparel's Legalize LA

Murray GM January 22, 2015

With hindsight, perhaps this campaign may have been a little misguided, after all this is a cheap clothing manufacturer. However it's still a great stance and an important issue.

I particularly like this early Obama quote.

Dot Dot Dot magazine

Murray GM January 16, 2015

This is Dot Dot Dot or ... or maybe even ellipsis. It's the first issue of a graphic design journal started in 2000 that ran until January 2011. It was the brainchild of Peter Biľak and Stuart Bailey and as Peter puts it, it was an "after-hours magazine, originally centred around graphic design, later broadening in scope to interdisciplinary journalism" more here on Peter's site.

This first addition has an introduction by Max Bruinsma and is linked the Jan van Eyck Akademie, Maastrict. A school that had some interesting people and programmes, especially around socially aware design and the European ideal. This issue is almost a meta discourse as it concentrates on Graphic Design Journals, featuring pieces on Emigré, Eye, Form + Zweck and Octavo. I particularly like the 'Encyclopædia of Graphic Design Periodicals' which is also featured on the back cover.

Here's a link to an excellent new magazine from Peter Bil'ak: Works That Work Magazine

Semiotext(e) Architecture

Murray GM January 15, 2015

This is Semiotext(e) Architecture from 1992. It's a massive (44x28 cm) landscape orientated collection of essays, experiments and ideas focussed on design, architecture and theory. I included the shot with my feet just to show it's size when opened. Totally unmanageable and doesn't fit on any of my bookshelves - which makes me love it even more.

I have three books from the independent publisher Semiotext(e); Architecture, USA and Radio - but this is visually the richest. It's a black and white production, which emphasises the dark and dirty style of the era and also makes it feel very underground and almost fanzine like. It's full on 'cult of the ugly' stuff and touches on the design for designers trend of the time, but also is very reflective of the DIY culture vibe (more here). For me this isn't the greatest piece graphic design but the variety of the content, the scale and the richness of the textures makes it rather special.

The first thing I bought from Newspaper Club

Murray GM January 5, 2015

Here's another gem from the cellar that deserves to see the light of day. It's the very psychogeographically inspired Immanent in the Manifold City from James Bridle. There's more than a touch of 'pataphysics at play here too, with the "manual of operation" enabling you to "form an instrument for investigating ubiquity". It's a wonderful weaving of the historical into a new narrative around place and time. A lovely piece.

It's self published through the Newspaper Club. The club (really simply a service) enables anyone to create and distribute there own newspapers on glorious newsprint. Perfect for small runs and events. Great service and idea, more proof that print is not dead, as through technology it's becoming more accessible. Beats the hell out of trying to self publish on the photocopier or only digitally. Some things need to be held as much as read.

Follow James on twitter @jamesbridle

Find out more about the brilliant Newspaper Club