Skip to main content

Yale Summer Program in Graphic Design

Paul Rand

Artwork Details

Yale Summer Program in Graphic Design
late 20th century
Paul Rand
offset lithograph on paper
26 x 22 in. (66.04 x 55.88 cm)
Gift of Franc Nunoo-Quarcoo and Maria Phillips
2016/2.206

Description

Subject Matter:

Paul Rand taught at Yale University from 1956 to 1993. Each of the professors took turns designing the poster for the summer program offered in Switzerland. In Rand’s design, he merges the logo for Yale with the ‘logo’ (i.e., flag) of Switzerland. The serif of the Y becomes one of the cross bars for the Swiss flag. The connotations of the cross adds an extra dimension to the poster. The cross has religious associations, as well as suggestions of dominance and submission, as Rand himself noted. Furthermore, it is reminiscent of the drafting that graphic designers engage in during the creative process. The design not only links institution with location, but also hints at the interplay between concept and execution.

EC 2017

Physical Description:

A poster advertising the details of the Yale Summer Program in Graphic Design. The bottom half consists of text describing the program. The top portion features a blue square with a large white "Y" placed diagonally against a red square with a white intersecting lines.

EC 2017

Usage Rights:

If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit https://umma.umich.edu/request-image/ for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.