My first exhibition poster for AIGA (1980) was on the topic of political art and graphic commentary, a potent mix of expressive symbolism and satiric acerbity. I immediately asked Brad Holland, who was best known at the time for his thought-provoking New York Times Op-Ed surrealistic linear style, to donate an image. I had already selected a few of his published drawings that were mocked up for his approval. He preferred instead to create a fresh idea designed specifically for the poster (below). He apparently had a special passion for creating original posters. He may have taken the ideas from a large binder he continually replenished with concepts for future work, but he rarely just retrofitted an existing artwork to fit into an empty image area.
To my surprise, upon his death last March, I asked John Twingley, his friend and former assistant, to find a few posters that I could show for a prospective exhibition. There were scores more than I had expected, most for theater and concerts, some for political issues and many for his own speaking events. They are the basis for an exquisite posthumous exhibition that I hope will begin to emerge starting next fall.
Holland taught me how to design with type when I was 17. To him, the poster was a happy medium for injecting his personal handlettering and typography. Below are a few that Twingley sent me. For more surprises, go here.
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