A retrospective of Israel's most influential and prolific designer, who passed away in 2019. Reisinger's body of work represents a history of Israel through design, beginning from the earliest days of the state and including logos and posters that became part of the nation's identity and "visual language."
About the Talk
Dan Reisinger designed logos, posters, stamps, medals, packaging, letterhead and interior design for leading companies and public bodies and events in Israel. These include Habima National Theater, El Al, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the Israel Defense Forces, the Maccabiah Games, Independence Day celebrations, book festivals, and much more. His designs represented Israel outside the country in international forums, such as international expos and festivals. He also designed political posters for the peace movement and other causes. This talk will look back briefly at Reisinger’s family history, immigration to Israel after the Holocaust, and acceptance into Bezalel School of Art at age 16, and then explore some of his many and varied designs for their rich aesthetic and historical value - reflecting the growth of the state and some of its cultural, social and political milestones. It will also look at Reisinger’s innovative use of Hebrew letters for their communicative and visual possibilities, for which he is well-known. This event is co-sponsored by the UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies.
Dan Reisinger Bio
Dan Reisinger (1934-2019) was a multi-faceted artist whose creative activity ranged from graphic to environmental design, from collage to supergraphics, from painting to 3-dimensional works. Vibrant colors and minimalist treatment of form & content were the defining characteristics of his work. After graduating with distinction at Bezalel Academy of Art Jerusalem, he studied 3D & stage design at Central School of Art, London where he also designed posters for the British Post Office. There he met his wife Annabelle and his life-long friend (& colleague) Abram Games. Reisinger gained national & international recognition from the year 1958 when he won first prize for one of the official posters for Brussels EXPO.
In 1998 he was awarded The Israel Prize, highest recognition of the state, for “imprinting his mark on the visual language of Israel” in such works as El Al logo & corporate image, national symbols, award-winning calendars & posters, pioneering supergraphics, and environmental projects as at Yad Vashem & the Weizmann Institute of Science. Comprehensive solo exhibitions were held at major museums & institutions — in New York, Beijing, Taipei, Budapest, Belgrade, Warsaw, Tel Aviv & Jerusalem. A selection of Reisinger's supergraphic works is in the permanent collection of Pompidou Centre, Paris; his posters are included in major international collections. Monographs on Reisinger’s oeuvre have been published in China & Russia, as well as in Israel — by the Israel Museum Jerusalem. As a member of AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale), he enjoyed the friendship of Paul Rand, Alan Fletcher, Fukuda & others who belonged to ‘the golden age of graphic design. Dan was an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Design & the Brno Biennale Committee, an honorary professor at Moholy-Nagy University, Budapest & Honorary Fellow of Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art, Israel. The Dan Reisinger archive is shared between the Israel Museum Jerusalem and the National Library of Israel.
About the Speakers
Dr. Ilan Reisinger concluded his Ph.D focusing on visual language in terms of the philosophy of language (Bar Ilan University), all while working alongside his father, Dan Reisinger. Ilan currently manages the Dan Reisinger Design Estate. He is pursuing the establishment of a permanent study-center for the unique Reisinger Design Collection for the benefit of design students, researchers and the general public.
Prof. Terry Schreuer is a Professor of Graphic Design & Visual Communication at The Neri Bloomfield School of Design & Education (NBSD). She has worked, taught, lectured, curated, and led curricula at the academy for the past 30 years. After graduating from NBSD, she led projects for prominent international clients such as IBM, The Russian Hermitage Museum, UPS, Bloomingdales, Israel Supreme Court, and The Conran Shop. In 2000, she was appointed the Department Head of the Graphic Design, Visual and Digital Communications, at NBSD, a position she held for 13 years. In parallel, she has been a visiting professor at the Middle East Technical University – Ankara, Turkey, and at the Technion in Haifa. Professor Schreuer, the first woman professor of Graphic Design & Visual Communication in Israel, is a recipient of numerous design awards in Israel and abroad, and a sought-after judge in many design competitions.
DISCLAIMER: The views or opinions of our guest speakers and the content of their presentations do not necessarily reflect the views of the UCLA Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies. Hosting speakers does not constitute an endorsement of the speaker's views or opinions.