We are now offering a free PDF download of our very first self-published book, The Elizabeth Kent Story. Compiled and designed between 1999 and 2002 the book is a collection of pages, both individual and collaborative, from the members of GH avisualagency, formerly Graphic Havoc. The Elizabeth Kent Story was originally offered as a limited and numbered edition of 1000 and has been sold out for years.
Download the file and enjoy a glimpse into our early publishing endeavors.
This morning a few of us were admiring the Obama logo and identity system and were wondering who the masterminds behind this well conceived identity were. While tracking down the author of the official Obama logo we were joking around in the studio and kicked out the above mark for the fun of it. Below is a bit of what we found about the mark and a nice interview with Michael Bierut of Pentagram.
Sender LLC, a Chicago based brand consultancy and design studio developed the logomark and brand system for Barack Obama’s historic bid for the White House. Sender were awarded the project through mo/de, a motion design studio working with AKP Message & Media of Chicago. Political consultant David Axelrod, who is working on Obama’s campaign and worked on his 2004 U.S. Senate campaign, is a partner with AKP Message & Media.
“We were looking at the “o” of his name and had the idea of a rising sun and a new day,” Mr. Sender said. “The sun rising over the horizon evoked a new sense of hope.” via http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=23974
[...]Obama’s success owes a lot, of course, to his message–the promise to pass Democratic policies by rallying a “coalition for change.” But watching Obamamania over the past few weeks, I’ve become convinced that there’s something more subtle at work, too. It’s not just the message and the man and the speeches that are swaying Democratic voters–though they are. It’s the way the campaign has folded the man and the message and the speeches into a systemic branding effort. Reinforced with a coherent, comprehensive program of fonts, logos, slogans and web design, Obama is the first presidential candidate to be marketed like a high-end consumer brand.* [...] via Expertinent: Why the Obama “Brand” Is Working by Andrew Romano of Newsweek
Review by Brian Sholis [...]By contrast, unremitting pain characterizes the pictures in Darfur: Twenty Years of War and Genocide in Sudan, edited by Leora Kahn for the nonprofit organization Proof: Media for Social Justice. The volume presents the work of eight acclaimed photojournalists and the beseeching testimony of aid agency workers, noted writers, and a handful of celebrities; proceeds from its sales will be donated to Amnesty International and the Genocide Intervention Network. If the chilly formalism of the North Korea pictures testifies to the Dear Leader’s control over his population and his country’s visitors, the presence of so many emaciated, fly-ridden bodies mere inches from the camera lenses indicates that whatever order once held in this arid African plateau has now irredeemably collapsed. Yet the photographic depiction of even the most lawless, unprecedented situation adheres to decades-old visual convention: a regular alternation of somber black-and-white and vividly colored pictures; a preponderance of children and the elderly; stark outlines of malnourished, brittle bodies graphically contrasted with sand and dirt; and long lines of displaced people stretching into the distance.[...] via pring mag.
Brian Sholis is an editor at Artforum and is the coeditor of The Uncertain States of America Reader (Sternberg Press, 2006).
Paperplanes is an abstract metaphor for modern wireless communications through the use of paper airplanes. Flying gracefully across multiple screens, the planes symbolize digital signals floating in the air without hindrance, encompassing an atmosphere of fluidity, mobility, innocence and freedom. The sound track, composed by renowned sound designer Brian Emrich (Requiem for a Dream, Pi, Phone Booth, One Hour Photo) is simultaneously ethereal yet playful, enhancing the overall experience of dreamy weightlessness.
Paperplanes is evocative of the joys of childhood and how simple the world seemed when one was young. GH avisualagency conceived the piece as environmental therapy, providing a way to transcend the constant chaotic rigors of the outside world.
Credits: Creative & Art Direction: GH avisualagency Director: GH avisualagency Producer: GH avisualagency Sound Design: Brian Emrich Animation: Panoptic
Initially inspired by South Parks Quest for Ratings episode, Supercuuute is a study in the pure joy and delight that baby animals, specifically puppies and kittens, elicit from the viewer. Graphically shot against a black backdrop, the individual portraits of each little baby mesmerize and transfix one with the innocence and preciousness of new life. One cannot help but feel happy in the presence of such adorable creatures.
GH avisualagency then juxtaposed each animal with a specific Nokia phone, alluding to each phone being like ones new pet. Renowned sound designer Brian Emrich (Requiem for a Dream, Pi, Phone Booth, One Hour Photo) accentuates it all with his slightly nostalgic, exuberant soundtrack. Supercuuute is geared toward environmental therapy, based upon the idea that smiling releases endorphins in the viewers body, providing a natural high.
Credits: Creative & Art Direction: GH avisualagency Concept: Derek Lerner & Annie Ok Director: GH avisualagency Assistant Director: Annie Ok Producer: GH avisualagency Sound Design: Brian Emrich DP: Greg Brunkalla & GH avisualagency Casting: Judy Brown & Annie Ok
We are happy to announce that powerHouse books has been given a Lucie award for its new book on Darfur, art directed and designed by GH avisualagency. IPA awards Lucies to those in the creative community who are an integral part of crafting an image.
Check out GH avisualagency’s branding work for L.A.M.B in use. The above TV commercial for Gwen Stefani and Coty Prestige’s collaboration, “L” Fragrance gives a bit of shine to the logo family GH developed back in 2003. Gwen’s debut fragrance is now available at NORDSTROM where many other products blazing the identity we created can be found.
Guest speakers also included Editor Leora Kahn, Executive Director of Amnesty International USA Larry Cox, Photographer Kadir van Lohuizen, & Photographer ___________(still looking for person’s name).
GH avisualagency was asked by Israel Kandarian of Field of Grey to contribute a poster for a weekly updated poster series on exhibition at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center & agnès b. during Warm Up 2007Teethcut: We set up a voice mail phone number (718.690.7672) for viewers to be able to call and leave us a messages. The concept for this poster was inspired by kitchen dentists in LA.OH NO… I LOST MY iPHONE: The notion that having a $600 phone in general is ridiculous, but the thought of losing that phone could be, to some, tragic. We wanted to juxtapose a true image of tragedy with the notion of the worlds ever growing lust for technology to point out just how ludicrous things have become. Contributors work on exhibition during the following dates:00 27.06.07 Field of Grey01 30.06.07 Manuel Miranda02 07.07.07 Jiminie Ha03 14.07.07 Linked by Air04 21.07.07 Glen Cummings & Hannah Purdy05 28.07.07 GH avisualagency06 04.08.07 Yoonjai Choi07 11.08.07 Project Projects08 18.08.07 Alexander Strube09 25.08.07 Village10 01.09.07 Dexter SinisterSee more on Flickr
