Encounters With Paul Rand
As an undergraduate student at Art Center College of Design (Europe) in Montreux, Switzerland, I got introduced to Paul Rand and his wife Marion in 1994.
Since I was studying both the basics of film and graphical user interface design, I was asked to shuttle Paul Rand around and to document his visit on campus. (See video below).
As I got involved in a deep conversation with him, I was humbled by the power with which he manipulated color, space and type and at the same time impressed by the clarity and simplicity of his talk.
When he and I began discussing the implications involved in using a computer, he said to me: “You’ve got the spirit!” and pointed with his index finger on my nose. He invited me to visit him and his wife Marion at his home and office in Connecticut and to eventually work with him.
In the summer of that same year I took a train from New York to Weston, Connecticut and Paul picked me up and drove me around in his silver BMW (he had a note pad on his dashboard in case inspiration would strike) a picturesque area, before bringing me to his home.
Later Paul and I spent a long time in his studio, and while looking at objects, sculptures, paintings and things he had been collecting (many of these things are pictured in his books), he looked at me and asked me why people considered primitive artwork as beautiful as a fresco of Michelangelo and pointed at a wooden sculpture. “My next book deals with this question.” He said.
Note: the book that Paul was working on was published by Yale in 1996 under the title of From Lascaux to Brooklyn.
He showed me the designs he created in a traditional fashion without the use of a computer. He showed me the office where he kept a Mac 8500, which he suggested I operate in case I would be willing to work for him.
He then spontaneously asked me to live and work with him and Marion and showed me the room I would stay in. Every once in a while, in return for instructing and working with me, he would ask me to prepare a salad for him and his wife. In 1995/96 I decided to finish my studies (I was awarded a 9th Term Honors) at the Art Center College in Pasadena first and then to go back and work with Paul. A few months later he passed away.
About Paul Rand
Paul Rand (born Peretz Rosenbaum, (August 15, 1914 — November 26, 1996) was an American graphic designer, best known for his corporate logo designs, including the logos for IBM, UPS, Enron, Westinghouse, ABC, and Steve Jobs’ NeXT. He was one of the originators of the Swiss Style of graphic design. More…
Video, Editing, Motion Graphics and Music by Sarah Brody
Switzerland, 1994
Paul Rand at Art Center (Europe) 1994
