ZEELAND, Mich., Oct. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Design
enthusiasts have long inquired about the availability of Herman
Miller's graphic art library – storied collaborations with some of
the world's most celebrated graphic designers and
illustrators. Amy Auscherman, Herman Miller's Director of
Global Archives and Brand Heritage
has resurfaced a selection of the brand's "greatest hits," and
today, the pieces are now available through Herman Miller and
Design Within Reach's (DWR) online stores (both part of the
MillerKnoll Collective). The posters will also be on display and
available for order through Herman Miller and DWR stores across the
country next month.
The dynamic collection features a range of aesthetics and
conceptual styles including structuralist modernism forged by
George Nelson & Associates,
Phillip Mitchell's exuberant
colorful abstractions, and the exacting Swiss style of Armin Hofmann.
"Reintroducing Herman Miller's archival graphics as a collection
has been a long-time dream of the brand," says Auscherman. "The
posters and advertisements are always a favorite when we have them
available for purchase, lend them to museum exhibitions, and have
visitors at our archive in West
Michigan."
"The graphics are timeless and approachable as art objects for
any home or office, and we're excited to add the beloved designs to
our expanding art category offering," says Debbie Propst, President of Global Retail for
MillerKnoll.
This initial collection of fifteen resurfaced iconic designs
spans from 1949 to 1979 and covers a host of product advertisements
and brand nostalgia, beginning with Irving
Harper's emotive Hardware Ad and concluding with
Linda Powell's energetic Exercise
Poster. Harper is credited with designing the original Herman
Miller logo and was a member of designer George Nelson's specialized design team from
1947 to 1963.
Other George Nelson &
Associates classics in the assortment include historical
advertisements such as the Timeline, Four Coconuts and Coconut
Chair in addition to the methodic Nelson Office Illustrations
including Purple Triangles, Rectangles, Four Color Block, Blue and
Black, Blue Dot, and Two Split Circles. The strong representation
from this period at Herman Miller signals just how much Nelson's
team contributed to the brand. Nelson was hired by Herman Miller in
1945 and in 1947 formed George
Nelson & Associates, a group whose legacy includes the
creation of the whimsical yet modern Nelson clocks, the luminous
Nelson Bubble Lamps and the iconic Marshmallow Sofa.
While George Nelson and his
team's dynamic products and graphics played a pivotal role in
rocketing the Herman Miller brand to international acclaim, they
were far from the only creative minds whose fantastical visuals
have been canonized through Herman Miller's prestigious line of
posters. No Herman Miller poster collection would be complete
without at least one piece by Steve
Frykholm, a Herman Miller legend who began his decades-long
career at the company as its first ever internal graphic designer.
His beloved Picnic Posters are unmistakable and can be found in art
collections around the world, including the MOMA. His famous Corn
Picnic Poster, created in 1970, was the first installment in the
coveted picnic collection, and will be included as a
limited-edition in this Herman Miller assortment. Armin Hofmann's Herman Miller Collection Poster
will also be included as a limited-edition, with only 200 copies
being printed of each.
Rounding out the collection are the two bright and colorful
posters dubbed Rainbow Resources and Organic Forms, both designed
by Phillip Mitchell under the
creative direction of Frykholm, who was serving as Creative
Director at Herman Miller at the time.
The sizing and material composition of each poster was carefully
selected as the best choice to represent the vintage
original.
"We closely referenced examples from the Herman Miller Archives
to faithfully recreate these iconic pieces of graphic design," says
Auscherman. "From color matching to paper selection, no detail was
too small for consideration. It's exciting to now have this work
recontextualized as art objects and accessible to design fans
everywhere!"
Pricing for the assortment ranges from $475–$1,125 with frames
available in white, black or maple. The collection will be
available on October 26, 2021, at
6:30 a.m. EST for purchase at
store.hermanmiller.com and dwr.com.
About Herman Miller
Herman Miller is a globally
recognized leader in design. Since its inception in 1905, the
company's innovative, problem-solving designs and furnishings have
inspired the best in people. Herman Miller is guided by an enduring
legacy of design, innovation, and social good. In 2021, Herman
Miller and Knoll created MillerKnoll, a collective of dynamic
brands that comes together to design the world we live
in.
About Design Within Reach
Design Within Reach is your
source for modern living. Founded in 1998 with a mission to provide
access to the best in authentic design, the company curates
classics from design icons and cultivates next generation talent to
deliver an evolving breadth of product that can only be found at
DWR. With a solution-oriented approach, the company offers the
expertise and services needed to support the way people live today.
Headquartered in Stamford, Conn.,
DWR sells its furniture and accessories to residential and
commercial customers through retail Studios in North America, via the web at dwr.com, by
phone at 1.800.944.2233. Design Within Reach, Inc., is part of the
MillerKnoll collective.
About MillerKnoll
MillerKnoll is a collective of
dynamic brands that comes together to design the world we live in.
MillerKnoll includes Herman Miller and Knoll, plus Colebrook Bosson
Saunders, DatesWeiser, Design Within Reach, Edelman Leather, Fully, Geiger, HAY,
Holly Hunt, Maars Living Walls,
Maharam, Muuto, naughtone, and Spinneybeck|FilzFelt. MillerKnoll is
an unparalleled platform that redefines modern for the 21st century
by building a more sustainable, equitable, and beautiful future for
everyone.
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SOURCE Herman Miller, Inc.