Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Why do so few women feature in the history of design? Why is it still the case that so few women speak at conferences? How have previously celebrated female designers come to be "forgotten"? Are women judged today solely on the basis of their quality of work? In recent decades, female graphic designers have been working actively and successfully, but the longstanding identification of creative genius with masculinity has--with a few exceptions--prevented women from receiving recognition in the official annals of design history; even today, only a tiny percentage of active female designers enjoy public acclaim. This opulently illustrated volume sets out to repair this omission. Women in Graphic Design 1890-2012 presents the most significant female designers and traces their paths to professionalization and acclaim, through short biographies, essays and conversations with well-known contemporary female designers such as Irma Boom, Paula Scher, Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, Julia Hoffmann, "Swiss Miss" Tina Roth Eisenberg, Katja M. Becker, Anna Berkenbusch, Heike Grebin, Gisela Grosse, Miriam and Nina Lambert, Iris Utikal and Judith Grieshaber. Also included are key writings by contemporary and historical designers such as Paula Scher, Sheila Levrant de Bretteville, Natalia Goncharova, Ellen Lupton, Martha Scotford, Véronique Vienne, Astrid Stavro and Alissa Walker.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

This hefty monograph is "dedicated to the challenging task of drawing attention to the lives and achievements of women in a discipline that has scarcely been considered from a gender perspective." This compelling survey of women in graphic design focuses primarily on American and western European designers. It addresses questions of social history and gender roles and inequality in graphic design. It also suggests many opportunities for further research, e.g., future scholarship would benefit from a more international scope. This well-illustrated volume is divided into four sections: essays, interviews, documents (previously published essays), and brief biographies of individual designers. The editors acknowledge challenges in conducting their research, such as locating source materials. This dual language publication is primarily in German. Most of the essays are accompanied by a short English abstract, rather than a complete translation--a circumstance that will limit the book's accessibility for some readers. Nevertheless, it offers a thoughtful and thought-provoking analysis of women's place in the context of professional graphic design. It will appeal to readers interested in graphic design, and in women's and gender studies. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above. C. B. Cannon Savannah College of Art and Design