Erik Adigard
Encyclopedia
Erik Adigard des Gautries is a communication designer and media artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was born in Brazzaville, Congo and schooled in Paris, France. He studied fine arts in France and graphic design at the California College of the Arts, San Francisco/Oakland
where he graduated in 1987.
While still a student, his first designs earned him national awards for their experimental mix of iconography and offset printing techniques. Upon graduation, with Patricia McShane, he established M-A-D—also known as "madxs", a brand and communications design studio. Since 1989, with his first digital images for Macworld magazine he has been exploring the limits of the graphic design discipline as it continues to be redefined by shifting relationships with technology and social phenomena. His activities range from branding, print, web, video and multimedia, to consulting and exhibits—always with a concern for conceptual accuracy and creative innovation.
In 1992 he participated in the launch of Wired magazine by conceiving its first visual essay, and then continued to develop a visual vernacular specific to Wired and often labeled "Wired look". In 1996-98 he served as design director for WiredVentures where he designed new web offerings, including the Hotbot search engine, WiredNews and the ground breaking LiveWired. His short documentary, Webdreamer, a portrait of fellow web designers, was featured in international film festivals such as Resfest and the online Sundance Film Festival. In 1999 he co-authored Architecture Must Burn with Aaron Betsky. In 2000 Adigard, with M-A-D conceived the branding strategy for IBM software, developing a graphic system that allowed for five distinct brands, DB2, Lotus, Tivoli, Rational (added in 2003), and Websphere, to combine into an integrated offering. This brand system was introduced with a visual campaign that lasted throughout the decade.
Among many exhibits, his main commissions include Catalysts! Engage for ExperimentaDesign'05, Lisbon and AirXY for the Venice Biennale of Architecture 2008
.
Adigard’s creations have been shown in major international exhibitions, film festivals and publications, such as The Sundance Film Festival, the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum, and Meggs
’ History of Graphic Design. Among his top awards is The Chrysler Award for Innovation in Design. He belongs to the Alliance Graphique Internationale
and until recently was a board member of Adobe Design Achievement Awards. Other academic activities include current or past advising and teaching in graphic design, media design and architecture, and he occasionally lectures in the US and abroad on emerging design subjects.
California College of the Arts
California College of the Arts , founded in 1907, is known for its broad, interdisciplinary programs in art, design, architecture, and writing. It has two campuses, one in Oakland and one in San Francisco, California, USA...
where he graduated in 1987.
While still a student, his first designs earned him national awards for their experimental mix of iconography and offset printing techniques. Upon graduation, with Patricia McShane, he established M-A-D—also known as "madxs", a brand and communications design studio. Since 1989, with his first digital images for Macworld magazine he has been exploring the limits of the graphic design discipline as it continues to be redefined by shifting relationships with technology and social phenomena. His activities range from branding, print, web, video and multimedia, to consulting and exhibits—always with a concern for conceptual accuracy and creative innovation.
In 1992 he participated in the launch of Wired magazine by conceiving its first visual essay, and then continued to develop a visual vernacular specific to Wired and often labeled "Wired look". In 1996-98 he served as design director for WiredVentures where he designed new web offerings, including the Hotbot search engine, WiredNews and the ground breaking LiveWired. His short documentary, Webdreamer, a portrait of fellow web designers, was featured in international film festivals such as Resfest and the online Sundance Film Festival. In 1999 he co-authored Architecture Must Burn with Aaron Betsky. In 2000 Adigard, with M-A-D conceived the branding strategy for IBM software, developing a graphic system that allowed for five distinct brands, DB2, Lotus, Tivoli, Rational (added in 2003), and Websphere, to combine into an integrated offering. This brand system was introduced with a visual campaign that lasted throughout the decade.
Among many exhibits, his main commissions include Catalysts! Engage for ExperimentaDesign'05, Lisbon and AirXY for the Venice Biennale of Architecture 2008
Venice Biennale of architecture
Mostra di Architettura di Venezia, the Architecture section of the Venice Biennale, was established in 1980, although architecture had been a part of the art biennale since 1968....
.
Adigard’s creations have been shown in major international exhibitions, film festivals and publications, such as The Sundance Film Festival, the Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum, and Meggs
Philip B. Meggs
Philip Baxter Meggs was an American graphic designer, professor, historian and author of books on graphic design. His book History of Graphic Design is a definitive, standard read for the study of graphic design....
’ History of Graphic Design. Among his top awards is The Chrysler Award for Innovation in Design. He belongs to 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 :...
and until recently was a board member of Adobe Design Achievement Awards. Other academic activities include current or past advising and teaching in graphic design, media design and architecture, and he occasionally lectures in the US and abroad on emerging design subjects.
External links
External links- M-A-D Adigard's Sausalito-based design studio
- AirXY An immersive media installation for the Venice Architecture Biennale
- Dualterm : installation running simultaneously in Second Life & Toronto's international airport
- ExperimentaDesign, Lisbon Biennale : Catalysts!/Engage installations with 500 projects
- Chronopolis an immersive installation in the Grand Halle, Parc de La Villette, Paris and Muffathalle, Munich