Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Chinese graphic design has been relatively unknown--even to historians of graphic design--before the publication of this book. As a first treatment, it is a welcome addition to the growing number of books that present a visual overview of a national design experience. It is fascinating to discover that Chinese designers of the 1930s felt it necessary to participate in the Constructivist, Bauhaus, and Art Deco dialogues. The social-realist style of later decades is less intrinsically interesting, perhaps, but is well documented by the authors' selection of illustrations. As in every other nation, Chinese postmodernist designers have clearly assumed new conceptual positions and have required different design strategies in the last ten years. The book is not authoritative (it is patently impossible to do more than survey the highlights of a century of graphic design in little more than 150 pages); but it is written in an interesting rather than an academic tone. More work needs to be done in this area; however, this volume is an excellent and well-illustrated beginning. There are more than 150 color illustrations, and the biographies of important designers will be useful to other researchers. Should be purchased by every college library serving graphic designers or art historians. -R. M. Labuz, Mohawk Valley Community College