“For me, typography is a triangular relationship between design idea, typographic elements, and printing technique.”

Introduction

An internationally known graphic designer and typographer, who fathered what was subsequently dubbed as ‘Swiss Punk’ and ‘New Wave’ and who is also famous for his experimental and expressive work that broke the mould of classical Swiss typography.

CHILDHOOD

Born in 1941 in the midst of the World War II, Wolfgang Weingart grew up in a town Konstanz (Constance) in Southern Germany on the border of Switzerland just at the foot of the Alps. Growing up with Doctors as parents, Wolfgang never really had any influence in design. After spending most of his childhood in Germany, Weingart moved to Lisbon in 1954, it was here that he developed his interest for the arts with the local museums.

EDUCATION

After 4 years living in Portugal, Weingart moved back to Germany where he enrolled in the Merz Academy in Stuttgart. Here he studied Graphic Arts for 2 years, studying this included linocut which is a printmaking technique, woodblock printing technique for printing text, images or patterns on textiles and typesetting composing text/type into form for printing.

From here Weingart then began his typographic career in the early sixties as part of a 3 year apprenticeship at Ruwe Printing as a typesetter and it was from here that Weingart became familiar with Swiss type.

While here Weingart began to experiment with type and done so by using the letter ‘M’ and only that letter. With that letter he began to twist, bend it, fold it and sometimes just enlarge it so much that the page was completely black. In 1963 Weingart moved to Basel, Switzerland where he decided to further his studies and enrolled in the Basel School of design which was the cradle of classical ‘Swiss Typography’ shortly after he met Armin Hofmann, he originally enrolled as an independent student however he was more of an observer. It was here that He found that with the repro camera, a more fluid range of type sizes was possible and he decided to continue his experimentation with the letter ‘M’ so he printed a few letter Ms by letterpress, pasted them down on a cube, and photographed them from different perspectives.

In his early days at the school it was clear that Weingart had a rebellious mindset against the ‘norm’ as when the class was instructed by Hofmann to work on a line composition using ruling pens Weingart made a contraption that he could use to print lines in the type shop.

Swiss Typography

Swiss Typography was the use of grid systems for logical disposition of type and images on the page which used sans serif typefaces for clear communication. It was founded during World War II at the Bauhaus and rapidly became the rational approach to type. Admin Hogmann and Emil Ruder, who were Weingarts biggest influences, were major enthusiasts of the Swiss Typography. By the early 60s the Swiss Typography was already recognised over the world and had become synonymous with corporate design and also often referred to as the ‘international typographic style’. His ingenuity was impressive as he took a plank of wood, screwed metal hooks on it in a grid format, then turned some of them to a 45 and 90 degree angle to form different compositions, inked them and printed it on a letterpress, an artwork he was already familiar with whilst working as a typesetter.

TEACHING AND WORK

The 27 year old unknown designer then began teaching in the Basel School of Design after Armin Hofmann invited him to teach there, by the sheer admiration of his work. In 1968 after being requested to teach the Advanced Program for Graphic Design by Hofmann, where designers from all over the world flew to the program and it was there where he was one of the most respected teachers until he left in 2005. Also Weingart became an instructor at the Yale University Summer Graphic Design program in Brissago from 1974-1996, during this time he designed a poster for photographer John Glagola. Weingart continued to teach all around the world for 40 years in places such as Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand until he retired in 2004. Many of his students would misunderstand his teachings to be his own style and soon it began to quickly spread as the ‘Weingart Style’.

"I took 'Swiss Typography' as my starting point, but then I blew it apart, never forcing any style upon my students. I never intended to create a 'style'. It just happened that the students picked up — and misinterpreted — a so-called 'Weingart style' and spread it around.”

Although Weingart retired in 2004 he still continues to teach a summer program in Basel, Basics in Design and Typography.

KunstKredit- this is a cover for a magazine that Weingart done, which features his favourite font Akzidenz Grotesk

Affiche das Schweizer Plakat- Here is an exhibition poster, 1984 probably his most well-known, featuring the Matterhorn

Typography- His most famous work, a book discussing his philosophy and work

Awards and Affiliations

The Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs in Bern has awarded his work. He was a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI) from 1978 to 1999, and served on the editorial board of Typographische Monatsblätter magazine from 1970 to 1988. In 2005 he was awarded the honorary title of Doctor of Fine Arts from MassArt. In 2013 he received the AIGA Medal, the highest honor of the design profession, for his typographic explorations and teachings. Weingart has taught and lectured extensively in Australia, Asia, Europe and North and South America for 40 years.

INFLUENCES

Armin Hofmann would not only be Weingarts biggest influence but also the reason for his success as it was really down to Hofmann that Weingart got into the core of Design, also it was Hofmanns sheer belief in Weingart that he trusted him to teach when he was an unknown designer that nobody had heard or seen of. Hofmann was greatly inspired by international Style which was then mirrored in Weingarts style of design.

Emil Ruder worked closely with Hofmann and was also responsible for Weingarts comings to teach as it was him along with Hofmann who had a goal of creating an advanced graphic-design program for postgraduate professionals at the Basel School.

The International Style was an architectural style that came about in the 1920/30’s, it was defined by Henry-Russell Hitchcock and Philip Johnson both two majorly influential architects from America. The recognisable characteristics of the style are the rectilinear forms; light and plane surfaces which can be seen used in the architecture of the Bauhaus School of Design which Weingart attended and taught at.

"What still surprises and inspires me today: to turn blank paper into a printed page.”

How he has influenced me

His level of commitment to his art, combined with a unique aesthetic vision, made Wolfgang Weingart a revolutionary figure and fascinating artist. When teaching others he did not wish to fashion slavish imitators of his work but rather intelligent, capable designers who could respond to any task in whatever way he or she saw fit. Weingarts free set mind against all the rules really inspires me as he shows you and encourages you that rules are there to be broken, and the only limitations are that of a computer where on paper the limitations are only as limited as your mind itself. Also to escape these limitations Weingart encouraged his students in the use of repitition, which I for one greatly agree with as it allows you to create endless ideas with just one idea which I believe unlocks true creativity. One piece of work I truly admire is his 1984 exhibtion poster of the 'Matterhorn' and where he got his inspiration from, by scrumpling up tissue and photocopying it, this for me is sheer brilliance and ingenuity. It's his thinking outside the box mindset that attracts me to his work as it is that sort of thinking that has made his work so well known and successful.

Epilogue

Weingart had never intended for his style to become so big, as it was something he was doing personally for himself and he had never set out to influence other designers and designs. He started a new style of design and that then developed into the design we see today. His work accidentally became something that influenced his students and designers throughout the 70s and 80s and his designs showed a more creative and experimental side of graphic design as it broke the rules against the international style.