Design legend Ivan Chermayeff passed away this week – sad news to those of us in the creative design industry. Perhaps you haven’t heard his name, but you’ve absolutely seen his work. He is one of the most well-known and influential graphic designers and the man behind some of the most memorable designs. Brands and companies like Mobil, PBS, The MoMA, PanAm, NBC are recognized the world over by his iconic images.
Chermayeff, who died at the age of 85, was born in London but moved to the US at age 8. He studied at Harvard, the Institute of Design in Chicago, and the Yale School of Art and Architecture. After designing album covers at CBS, he co-founded his own design firm Chermayeff & Geismar (now Chermayeff, & Geismar, & Haviv). Chermayeff and company have gone on to create hundreds of the most well-known identities in the world.
As a graphic artist, I always try to stick to Chermayeff’s philosophy: “to make something simple and memorable.” With that in mind, I’ll leave you with a small sample of his poster designs that, to me, embody the phrase above.
Poster promoting War and Peace TV special
Big Apple Circus Poster
Poster for the Festival of the Arts
Poster for the Museum of Natural History
Graphic for NY Times editorial after 9/11