How did you first get interested in writing about graphic design?

I was always interested in history and graphic design history seemed to be a niche that was more or less vacant.

Especially with the historical lack of graphic design writing and criticism?

That made it easy. There were very few models (save for Phil Meggs) and so I could make my own rules (and mistakes).

What are some of your upcoming books?

Design Humor is a "remix" of my book Graphic Wit. It addresses, guess what? Humor in design, which is a subject that greatly interests me, particularly since I have so little humor or wit! I have a book coming on called Cuba Style, which is graphic design in Cuba prior to the revolution. In other words it runs the gamut from art deco to Vegas kitsch. Cuba was virtually an American colony. There are others. . .

Merz to Emigre and Beyond' sounds very interesting, what is it about?

I must be the king of the arcane. This is about avant garde magazines of the 20th century, the journals, revues, and gazettes that represented movements, schools, and individuals that changed the course of art and design or simply went counter to the prevailing winds.

From Neville Brody to David Carson or Tibor Kalman, it has always seemed that the magazine and its art direction has proved to be the most influential area for ground breaking graphic design. Do you think this is true?

Not necessarily. There are some magazines that stand above the rest, others that slavishly follow. BUT a magazine is by virtue of its frequency and circulation designed to reach more people than most print media. Therefore, it has been a hothouse for experimentation, when and if the publisher is accepting of such experiments. The Face had to be different to be differentiated. Ray Gun was trying to reach a new audience. Colors was simply a great opportunity to change the way people received information. The designers you mentioned had the right ideas at the right time and were given their heads.

Interview, Wired, Ray Gun and Colors have all in their day had tremendous design influence in their heyday, which do you think are the current magazines that are pushing publication design in new areas?

I'm not sure print is where it is at any more. BUT then again, I'm not sure the web is that place either. I've enjoyed NEST. It is a very quirky magazine on a fascinating subject. But I'm not sure it is a trend-setter. Frankly, I have not seen many magazines that are pushing the envelope, but I'm not really sure what that envelope is any more. I guess its a process of getting older.

Retrospectively, the 1980's and 90's seemed quite a frenetic time for graphic design and designers: in evolutionary terms do you think graphic design has now past its hectic transitional period from set type to computer type, and is now set to settle down a bit more in the coming years?

In a word yes. In another word no. I think that the time of which you speak is past and the experiments that were conducted are now mainstream -- most of them, at any rate. We are settled in, so to speak, and minimalism has replaced freneticism. BUT I think a generation will emerge that will test limits and try new things. Again, I'm not sure what they are. And I'm not even sure we'll know it when we see it. I think, however, this will be an era of "authorship." Regardless of style, designers will be attempting to create their own content more than ever.

It seems to me that magazines such as EYE have taken great inspiration in your eclectic interest in graphic design. You must feel particularly heartened that content and context, as well as style, are as important to others?

I'm frankly not sure who gives a damn about my eclectic interests! You seem to be interested, and for that I am grateful. But I work with arcane subjects. As I said before I think the real important work will be in terms of authorship. More designers will integrate more than one medium into narrative or whatever kinds of work and from this will emerge something special (like Dave Egger's McSweeney's, for example).

With the reprint of the First Things First manifesto, magazines such as Adbusters have recently called on graphic designers to be more aware of how their talents are being used and of the vast influence and power that they have. do you think graphic design ethics may be a rising influence?

I think it is a current trend. As long as people like Rick Poynor keep reminding us about ethical behavior and the word goes out through FTF and other means, people will debate the issue and keep it alive. But the minute it falls back into the shadows I think people will leave well enough alone. I realize that this is a cynical view, but our design culture is rooted in trends, and that's how most people are conditioned to respond.

Typographically, the serif seems to be still the most popular headline font choice in US print design, particularly in magazine and book publishing, do you think US graphic designers feel a particular kinship with the serif?

No. But it is easy to read. I didn't say EASIER because people view things differently. For me, however, I prefer to read books set in Times, Bembo, Garamound, Goudy, Century, etc.

US graphic design also seems to never have lost its love of illustration the way it has lost favour with many European graphic designers. Why do you think this is?

Wrong! American design is much much less illustration oriented. I still love illustration, but I'm an old fart at 52. But much of what I see is photography based.

As an editor and writer of numerous influential design books, how have you viewed the recent rise of the designer as author?

It works when the designer is indeed an author. As a style it is meaningless.

Has the established designers portfolio being replaced by a self published/authored book? (sagmeister, am i not always hungry, life style etc.,)

I differentiate the designer monograph from an authorial work. Yes, Mau and Sagmeister and Tibor and Neville, etc. have produced books of their work that are tied together in a thematic manner, but these are NOT works of authorship as I define it. To me an authorial work is a NEW idea communicated in the voice of the author. While this is sufficiently vague, I don't see taking one's old work and repackaging it as very challenging. Chip Kidd wrote a novel - the novel form does not make it apriori authorial, but he did write a story based on fact in a fictive manner. This is authorship pure and simple.

Given graphic designers notorious aversion to text content and writing, do you think in may ways it has merely showed up these weaknesses for all to see?

No. Some designers are excellent writers and over the past ten years this has become very apparent.

In the 60's Pop Art and the art world shone a bright light on graphic design, even incorporating it into their Art. Do you think this has perhaps led to the rise of the graphic designer as artist, or to be perceived as artist ?

No. Restlessness is what makes graphic desginers artists. Most designers who paint, sculpt, film, etc. are simply finding other outlets for their talents. When you have talent you want to exploit it. When you are talentless you go fishing!

So, can graphic design ever be separated from its functional context and yet still remain graphic design?

No.

You have been an art director and editor of numerous publications, taught graphic design history and curated gallery exhibitions; what has given you the most satisfaction? I get the impression that your recent incisive book on Paul Rand is something you are particularly proud of?

I get satisfaction seeing things reach fruition and then being appreciated. In the process I am more than happy to learn something I haven't known before.

Are there any areas of graphic design that you have not dealt with but would love to, personally?

I wish I could make a documentary film.

Who were some of your inspirations, what design books do you most treasure?

I love Portfolio magazine designed by Alexey Brodovitch. But I have many many inspirations and loves, too numerous to mention because each would deserve a sentence or ten.

Finally, given your incredibly prolific output, can we hope that your plans for the near future may involve a vacation? or are your many other interests and projects vacation enough?

I'd love to vacate. I'd frankly love to stop doing this and just read for pleasure. I wish I could. But I'm a sicky, workaholic who doesn't know how to have a good time!

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