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I first became aware of publisher Ralph Ginzburg and designer Herb Lubalin, through the Avant Garde logo Lubalin created in 1968 for the art magazine of the same name (the logo would later be released in full typesetting form by Lubalin’s own International Typeface Corporation as ITC Avant Garde – one of my personal favorites).  Anyway, Avant Garde was the third title published by Ginzburg and art directed by Lubalin, and like the previous two titles before it (Eros and Fact), was fairly short lived.  After 16 issues, censors shut it down because of an art spread of an alphabet spelled out of nude bodies.  Eros (a magazine focusing on the burgeoning sexuality of the ’60s) was shut down after just 4 issues, and landed Ginzburg in jail for 8 months on federal obscenity charges.  Fact (a humorous satirical journal of society and culture) lasted a bit longer – 5 years, before it was shut down by a lawsuit from Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater (who sued over a particularly scathing article on him).

All of Ginzburg’s publications had a heavy focus on sexuality and controversial politics.  Here’s a nice quote from him on pornography: “‘Obscenity’ or ‘pornography’ is a crime without definition or victim.  It is a bag of smoke used to conceal one’s own dislikes with regard to aspects of sex.”

Over the years, I’ve acquired a few issues of each of these magazines, and have been struck by what Lubalin was doing with design and fonts almost 40 years ago.  Magazines today should definitely take note.  I’m hoping that the current state of the economy and advertising in the internet age, do not put a one-two punch to the world of print publications.  Clicking back through blog archives is nothing like flipping through the yellowing pages of a 35-year old magazine.

Here are a few Lubalin designed covers from Fact:



Here is the cover of Avant Garde issue 5. The illustration is by Tom Wesselman, an amazing artist who’s career spanned 4 decades. His pop beauties are among my favorites. Honor Fraser Gallery in Culver City recently had a show of his work that included one of his nudes on shaped plexiglass that was really cool.

AG issue 8 is entirely devoted to Picasso’s erotic gravures. The issue was published in 1969, and Picasso’s gravures are dated 1968. It’s weird, Picasso seems like an artist from a long time ago – one of the masters, not someone contributing his latest work in a contemporary magazine.






Eros issue 3 (1962) contained a feature on the last studio portraits of Marilyn Monroe, shot by Bert Sterns 6 weeks before her death.  The orange crosses on the contact sheets were photos Monroe did not like.








Here’s an illustration by John Alcorn which accompanied an article in Fact entitled “A Glossary of Homosexual Slang.” Did you know that a Basket Day is a period of mild weather that permits men to wear garments light enough to reveal the contours of their baskets (the male genitals and region immediately surrounding)?

And here are some really nice illustrations (also from Fact) by Jerome Snyder. I like his hand-drawn fonts.

And some by Simms Taback (Fact):


If all Herb Lubalin accomplished in his life was the creation of the font, Avant Garde, I think that would have been enough.  But after his collaborations with Ginzburg, he would go on to spend 10 years creating U&lc (Upper and Lowercase), a notable typographic journal which would set the foundation for experimental typography, and pave the way for titles like Emigre and Ray Gun.  Lubalin’s mastery of fonts and simple, restrained design is a big influence for me.  I place him up there with Saul Bass and Paul Rand.  Below is an amazing piece of sculpture he worked on with art director Lou Dorfsman in 1966 for the CBS studios cafeteria.  Lubalin designed the type along with collaborator Tom Carnase.  Unfortunately, CBS discarded the 35 ft x 8 ft structure in the early 90′s (It was rescued and is currently being restored by the Center for Design Study).



 

Posted by Ramsey at 2:38 AM 1 Comment
Tags art magazine, avant garde magazine, eros magazine, fact magazine, font design, graphic design, herb lubalin, jerome snyder illustration, Lou Dorfsman, marilyn monroe portrait, publishing, ralph ginzburg, simms taback illustration, tom wesselman