Art and Design Heroes: Milton Glaser
Occasionally you come across someone who not only creates inspirational work, but is also a great speaker, teacher and thinker. Milton Glaser is an artist and graphic designer who never fails to make us think more deeply about art, design, the work we produce and our own creativity. Best known for his iconic ‘I ♥ New York’ campaign, Milton Glaser has been an influential figure and a source of inspiration in the design world since the 1950s.
His body of work includes graphic design, advertising and corporate identity but he has also studied fine art and painting and has been the subject of exhibitions at a number of galleries worldwide, including the MoMA in New York and the Georges Pompidou Center in Paris. His approach to art and design is a reminder of how it’s often difficult to draw a line between the work of a commercial designer and that of a fine artist (he talks about what he believes are the differences between the two here).
Glaser is an intelligent and articulate speaker. While you may not always agree with his take on certain subjects, he always manages to get you thinking more deeply. He’s the sort of person you’d dream of having as an art teacher or mentor and so we’re lucky to be able to tap into his insights, knowledge and experience via interviews, videos and essays posted online.
We highly recommend putting the kettle on, pulling up a comfortable chair and spending a little time with Mr Glaser so we’ve gathered a few resources below to get you started.
- Ten Things I Have Learned (essay)
- Art Is Work (short documentary)
- Milton Glaser: To Inform and Delight (full film)
- What is Art, and What is Not? (video)
- Is the Internet Ruining Design? (video)
- Milton Glaser Draws & Lectures (video)
If you’re a Milton Glaser fan we’d love to hear how he has inspired you. If you’d like to share any additional links, please feel free to post these in the comments below. Do you have any other art or design heroes? Are there any artists in particular who inspire you?
