PADUCAH, KY (March 16, 2016) - Paducah School of Art & Design (PSAD) is pleased to announce the hosting of space.cowboy.the.graphic.design.of.david.carson, an exhibition of commissioned graphic design, photographs and other original works by world-renowned graphic designer David Carson March 31 – May 6, 2016.The exhibition will be part of the March 31, 2016 opening celebration for PSAD’s new 30,000-square-foot 2D and Graphic Design Building at 905 Harrison Street in LowerTown Paducah, Ky. The exhibition reception and opening celebration will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. The Carson exhibition will remain on view through May 6, 2016. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
“The exhibition marks a highpoint in PSAD’s established exhibition program and is a rare opportunity to experience a diverse selection of Carson’s work first hand,” said PSAD dean Paul Aho. “The exhibition reflects his revolutionary approach to assembling visual information and how images and typography can come together in non-traditional ways to convey emotion and communicate a message.” As Carson himself is known to caution, “Don’t mistake legibility for communication.” But as Carson further explains, “It’s the basic decisions—images, cropping and appropriate font and design choices—that make design work, not having the ability to overlap or play with opacity.”
“David Carson is widely considered the most influential graphic designer of our time,” Aho said, “and PSAD is pleased and proud to be bringing his work to the region.”
To complement the exhibition, David will be giving an artist’s talk at 6 p.m. on April 1, which is also free and open to the public. Space is limited for the lecture; advanced registration is encouraged. The lecture will be presented in Room 208 at PSAD’s 2D and Graphic Design Building, 905 Harrison Street.
A native of Corpus Christi, Texas, Carson is likely best known for his work in magazine and poster design. London-based Creative Review magazine dubbed Carson, “Art Director of the Era,” and The American Center for Design (Chicago) called his pioneering design of Ray Gun magazine “the most important work coming out of America.” His work on Beach Culture magazine won “Best Overall Design” and “Cover of the Year” from the Society of Publication Designers in New York, N.Y. Carson and his work have been featured in over 180 magazine and newspaper articles around the world, including a feature in Newsweek magazine, and a front-page article in the New York Times.
In January 2014, Carson was named among the "Top 30 Innovators” in 30 years of Apple by Apple computers, which described David as a “Pioneer with profound impact.” He was also named the 2014 Centennial Gold Medalist by the American Institute of Graphic Artists (AIGA), the AIGA’s highest honor; and in 1993 as “Designer of the Year” by the International Center for Photography for his work with photography and design. He has served as worldwide creative director for Bose and created worldwide branding campaigns for Microsoft and Giorgio Armani (Milan). Carson ran his own studio in New York City from 1995 to 2003, working with clients that included Nike, Toyota, Audi, Quiksilver and MTV. Since then he has held a variety of positions, lectured extensively around the world and continued his design work through projects with the Harvard Graduate School of Design, London’s National Theatre and Smithsonian Institute, among many others.
As a public speaker, Carson has recently served as keynote speaker at the 2014 FUSE: Branding+ Design conference in Chicago and as guest speaker at TYPO/Berlin 2014. He has also addressed sold out crowds in 2013 at Sophia Design Week, Bulgaria (600+), and Portland Design Week, Portland, Oregon. More recent appearances included lectures in England, Puerto Rico, Argentina, and Canada.
To reserve a seat during David Carson’s April 1 artist’s talk at PSAD, please call 270.408.4278.
Paducah School of Art & Design is a division of West Kentucky Community and Technical College. PSAD offers an Associate in Fine Arts degree, as well as studio art classes for students of all levels and disciplines. Classes are offered on WKCTC’s main campus, at 919 Madison Street, and at 905 Harrison Street in historic LowerTown Paducah.