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If you can trap a vision by any tool and skill, you’re an artist. If you can bring other people’s vision to life in form of visual message that no eye can ignore and misinterpret, then you are professional. If your art stands out from other’s, then you’re exceptional. But it is only when your art lives on for decades to inspire and teach others, that you can, with all modesty, say that you are a master.
This essay is about such a man, a pioneer and great contributor to what is now an ever-growing profession, graphic design. Though modest in pure sense of the word and leaving only his art to speak for itself, there is much to learn from Herbert Matter and he was definitely an artist that every photographer and graphic designer should know about.“Matter is best known for his contributions in photography, photomontage and graphic design. His advanced techniques became part of the new visual narrative that began in the 1930s which have since evolved into familiar design idioms such as overprinting- where an image extends beyond the frame, and the bold use of typography, color, size and placement. These design elements often characterize both pre-war European Modernism and the post-war expression of that Movement in United States.” (Head, J., 2005)
Born is Switzerland (1907), he started studying painting at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Geneva in 1925, but just two years later he moved to Paris to study at the Académie Moderne with Fernand Léger and Amédéé Ozenfant. It was just the time when Europe was taken by new approaches in photography and graphic design, so he himself delved into this world that fascinated him, playing with photograms, especially in terms of collage and montage (Heller, S.,Brown,D.R.,1984). He was hired by Deberny and Piegnot concern in 1929 as a designer and photographer and later he worked on posters with A.M Cassandre and on architecture and displays with Le Corbusier (ADC,2010).
As it is explained in his biography (ADC,2010), it was a law that foreign students renew their visas, which he didn’t do, so when the police raided an art theatre he was at one night in 1932, he was put on a train home. But ending his stay in Paris was in fact a good thing, better yet, a major turning point of his career.Back in Zürich he was making posters for Swiss National Tourist office that got him immediate international acclaim.
“The Swiss object poster was distinct from the Berlin sachplakat in that the Swiss replaced the reductive flatness of the typical German image with a boldly rendered lithographic design.” (Heller,S.Chwast,S.,2002)
Fig. 1
Matter, H. (1935) Für shone Autofahren die Schweiz [Poster, Gravure]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A3843&page_number=7&template_id=1&sort_order=1 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). 101x63.8 cm / 39 3/4'' x 25 1/8''.
Matter, H. (1935) Für shone Autofahren die Schweiz [Poster, Gravure]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A3843&page_number=7&template_id=1&sort_order=1 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). 101x63.8 cm / 39 3/4'' x 25 1/8''.
Fig.2
Matter, H. (1935) Pontresina Engadin [Poster,Gravure]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A3843&page_number=8&template_id=1&sort_order=1 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). 101.6 x 63.8 cm / 40 x 25 1/8''
Fig. 3
Heller,S., Chwast, S. (2002) Graphic style: from Victorian to digital. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., pp. 174, illus.
Matter, H. (1935) Pontresina Engadin [Poster,Gravure]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A3843&page_number=8&template_id=1&sort_order=1 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). 101.6 x 63.8 cm / 40 x 25 1/8''
Fig. 3
Heller,S., Chwast, S. (2002) Graphic style: from Victorian to digital. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., pp. 174, illus.
“Influenced by the early photographic design of the German-born Anton Stankowski, Herbert Matter created startling photomontage travel posters that defined a new style called object photography.” (Heller, S.,Chwast, S., 2002)
Fig. 4
Matter, H. (1936) Winterferien- Doppelte Ferien,Schweiz [Poster,Photolithograph]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A3843&page_number=9&template_id=1&sort_order=1 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). 101 x 63.8 cm / 39 3/4'' x 28 1/8''
Matter, H. (1936) Winterferien- Doppelte Ferien,Schweiz [Poster,Photolithograph]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A3843&page_number=9&template_id=1&sort_order=1 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). 101 x 63.8 cm / 39 3/4'' x 28 1/8''
Fig.5
Matter, H. (1935-6) Pontresina Schweiz [Poster, Photolithograph]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=5448 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). 101.6 x 63.8 cm / 40 x 25 1/8''
Matter, H. (1935-6) Pontresina Schweiz [Poster, Photolithograph]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=5448 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). 101.6 x 63.8 cm / 40 x 25 1/8''
“He pioneered photomontage techniques. Before color photography, this darkroom perfectionist could achieve a freshness and harmony in his colors and photographic surfaces by dyeing various elements photo-chemically.” (ADC, 2010).
Fig. 6
Matter,H. (unknown) Magazine Cover:Vogue [Online]. Available at: http://www.aiga.org/common/modules/utils/SlideShowPopup.cfm?sf=medalist-herbertmatter_1_herbert_matter_portrait_slideshow_20100408164323.cfm&Index=6 (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Matter,H. (unknown) Magazine Cover:Vogue [Online]. Available at: http://www.aiga.org/common/modules/utils/SlideShowPopup.cfm?sf=medalist-herbertmatter_1_herbert_matter_portrait_slideshow_20100408164323.cfm&Index=6 (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
During World War II he was making posters for Container Corporation of America, and in 1944 he joined Knoll Associates as a long-term (12 years) design and advertising consultant.
Fig.7
Matter, H. (1941) America Calling,Take Your Place in Civilian Defense [Poster, Offset lithograph]. The Museum of Modern Art[Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=5131(Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Matter, H. (1941) America Calling,Take Your Place in Civilian Defense [Poster, Offset lithograph]. The Museum of Modern Art[Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=5131(Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Fig. 8
Matter, H. (1956) Magazine Advertisements: Knoll Assoc.,Inc. [Online]. Available at: http://www.aiga.org/common/modules/utils/SlideShowPopup.cfm?sf=medalist-herbertmatter_1_herbert_matter_portrait_slideshow_20100408164323.cfm&Index=8 (Accessed : 29 May 2010).
Matter, H. (1956) Magazine Advertisements: Knoll Assoc.,Inc. [Online]. Available at: http://www.aiga.org/common/modules/utils/SlideShowPopup.cfm?sf=medalist-herbertmatter_1_herbert_matter_portrait_slideshow_20100408164323.cfm&Index=8 (Accessed : 29 May 2010).
Among his design clients was the New Haven Railroad for which he made corporate programs, symbols, styling of engines and equipment. (ADC,2010)
“The ubiquitous “NH” logo, with its elongated serifs, was one of the most identifiable symbols in America.” (Heller, S.,Brown,D.R., 1984).
Fig. 9
Matter, H. (1954) Corporate Identity: New Haven Railroad [Online]. Available at: http://www.aiga.org/common/modules/utils/SlideShowPopup.cfm?sf=medalist-herbertmatter_1_herbert_matter_portrait_slideshow_20100408164323.cfm&Index=7 (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Matter, H. (1954) Corporate Identity: New Haven Railroad [Online]. Available at: http://www.aiga.org/common/modules/utils/SlideShowPopup.cfm?sf=medalist-herbertmatter_1_herbert_matter_portrait_slideshow_20100408164323.cfm&Index=7 (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Marc Fratassio said:
“It wasn’t untill Herbert Matter came to the New Haven Railroad that Railroads began looking at their image as as part of the whole process.” (Pixiu films, 2009).
In 1952, he joined Yale faculty as a professor of photography and graphic design. He was also a design consultant and handled displays for the Museum of Modern Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Houston Museum of Modern arts (ADC, 2010). He entered the Art Director’s Club Hall of Fame in 1977 and won the AIGA medal in 1983.
So obviously good in everything he did, in 1944, he directed a movie on the sculpture of his friend Alexander Calder. His other films include a film on Segovia, R. Buckminster Fuller and “Guns of August”- animation for Universal.
Matter had a great interest in sculptor Albert Giacometti (Stanford University, 2006) and while becoming close friend, he started photographing Giacometti’s work (1960). It turned out to be a twenty-year long project, published as a book in 1987 (posthumously) by Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
Fig. 10
Matter, H.,Matter, M. (1987) Alberto Giacometti. New York: Harry N. Abrams, pp. 1, illus.
Matter, H.,Matter, M. (1987) Alberto Giacometti. New York: Harry N. Abrams, pp. 1, illus.
Fig. 11
Matter, H.(unknown) Giacometti Figures. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_giacom_statues.html (Accesses: 29 May 2010).
Matter, H.(unknown) Giacometti Figures. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_giacom_statues.html (Accesses: 29 May 2010).
He had a beautiful style of black and white photography. My favourite, by the way. I guess what draws me to it is the very infinite play of lights that can transform any moment, person or object into something very deep, personal and mesmerizing. He was a master of that as well.
Fig. 12
Matter, H. (1940) Provincetown III. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Matter, H. (1940) Provincetown III. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Fig. 13
Matter, H.(unknown) Seagram Building. Staley Wise-Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_seagram.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Matter, H.(unknown) Seagram Building. Staley Wise-Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_seagram.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Fig. 14
Matter, H. (unknown) Rocks. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_rocks.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Matter, H. (unknown) Rocks. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_rocks.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Fig. 15
Matter, H.(1940) Archer. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_archer.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Matter, H.(1940) Archer. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_archer.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Fig. 16
Matter, H. (1935) Zurich. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_plane.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Matter, H. (1935) Zurich. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_plane.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
“A master technician, he used every method available to achieve his vision of light, form and texture. Manipulation of the negative, retouching, cropping, enlarging and light drawing are some of the techniques he used to achieve the fresh, enigmatic form he sought in his still life, landscapes, nudes and portraits.” (Staley-Wise, 2010).
Louis Finkelstein said:
“ Matter is an artist who can cross the gap, which imprisons each of us in our limited awareness, to make the essence of another person real. He uses the medium not to record facts but understanding.” (ADC,2010).
And what can I possibly say more about Herbert Matter? As an artist in formation, non certified, but still, in my mind only legitimate critic for appreciations I give, here I find myself speechless and humble before a man who died just as I was born, an artist who started his career something like 80 years ago, but seems like it never ended. Not with the way one can still learn from him, be inspired by him, and even still be challenged to copy him.
With the simplest computer software I can now reproduce any poster he’s done. His style is still vey much popular, from colours and textures, to typography. But to learn of ways he created this magnificent pieces, spending hours in the darkroom, is something I can just sit, brood over and admire.His biographies are usually very short, and as I’ve learned, he was quite modest when speaking about his art and fame. But that was just one more reason for those who new him to appreciate him more and treasure him.
Alex Matter:
“What distinguished Herbert from other photographers was that he had a vision. He wasn’t interested in just documenting reality.”(Pixiu films, 2009).
Lorraine Wild:
“To meet the man, to realize what a modest and unpretentious artist he was, was to realize the incredible influence he had on so many people.”(Pixiu films, 2009).
Kerry William Purcell:
“He was the one to see the potential of photography as a tool, as a graphic element in the work as a whole. He is the pioneer in that regard.”(Pixiu films,2009).
John Hill:
“Nothing had to be explained. You immediately see the power and impact of what he was doing visually or you miss it entirely.”(Pixiu films,2009).
Elaine Lustic Cohen:
“He really influenced a lot of people with his abstract photography.”(Pixiu films, 2009).
Jessica Helfand:
“For someone like Herbert Matter, to have commercial success not just in one but in several professions is truly unique to this day.”(Pixiu films,2009).
References:
Head, J. (2005) Herbert Matter: Modernist Photography and Graphic Design. Stanford: Stanford University Libraries .
Heller, S.,Brown, D.R. (1984) Herbert Matter. Available at: http://www.aiga.org/content.cfm/medallist-herbertmatter (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
The Art Directors Club (2010) Herbert Matter. Available at: http://www.adcglobal.org/archive/hof/?id=276 (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Heller,S.,Chwast,S. (2002) Graphic style: from Victorian to digital. 2nd edn. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
PiXiU films (2009) The Visual Language Of Herbert Matter. Available at: http://www.herbertmatter.net/matter.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Stanford University (2006) Herbert Matter: Modernist Photography and Graphic Design. Available at: http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/exhibits/matter.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Staley-Wise Gallery (2010) The Collection -Herbert Matter. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010).
Image list:
Matter, H. (1935) Für shone Autofahren die Schweiz [Poster, Gravure]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A3843&page_number=7&template_id=1&sort_order=1 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). 101x63.8 cm / 39 3/4'' x 25 1/8''. Fig. 1
Matter, H. (1935) Pontresina Engadin [Poster,Gravure]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A3843&page_number=8&template_id=1&sort_order=1 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). 101.6 x 63.8 cm / 40 x 25 1/8'' Fig.2
Heller,S., Chwast, S. (2002) Graphic style: from Victorian to digital. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., pp. 174, illus. Fig. 3
Matter, H. (1936) Winterferien- Doppelte Ferien,Schweiz [Poster,Photolithograph]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online]. Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A3843&page_number=9&template_id=1&sort_order=1 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). 101 x 63.8 cm / 39 3/4'' x 28 1/8'' Fig.4
Matter, H. (1935-6) Pontresina Schweiz [Poster, Photolithograph]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online].Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?object_id=5448 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). 101.6 x 63.8 cm / 40 x 25 1/8" Fig. 5
Matter, H. (unknown) Magazine Cover:Vogue [Online]. Available at: http://www.aiga.org/common/modules/utils/SlideShowPopup.cfm?sf=medalist-herbertmatter_1_herbert_matter_portrait_slideshow_20100408164323.cfm&Index=6 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). Fig. 6
Matter, H. (1941) America Calling,Take Your Place in Civilian Defense [Poster, Offset lithograph]. The Museum of Modern Art [Online].Available at: http://www.moma.org/collection/object.php?_id=5131 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). Fig. 7
Matter, H. (1956) Magazine Advertisements: Knoll Assoc.,Inc. [Online]. Available at: http://www.aiga.org/common/modules/utils/SlideShowPopup.cfm?sf=medalist-herbertmatter_1_herbert_matter_portrait_slideshow_20100408164323.cfm&Index=8 (Accessed : 29 May 2010). Fig. 8
Matter, H. (1954) Corporate Identity: New Haven Railroad [Online]. Available at: http://www.aiga.org/common/modules/utils/SlideShowPopup.cfm?sf=medalist-herbertmatter_1_herbert_matter_portrait_slideshow_20100408164323.cfm&Index=7 (Accessed: 29 May 2010). Fig.9
Matter, H.,Matter, M. (1987) Alberto Giacometti. New York: Harry N. Abrams, pp. 1, illus. Fig.10
Herbert Matter (unknown) Giacometti Figures. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_giacom_statues.html (Accesses: 29 May 2010). Fig. 11
Matter, H. (1940) Provincetown III. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010). Fig.12
Matter, H. (unknown) Seagram Building. Staley -Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_seagram.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010). Fig. 13
Matter, H. (unknown) Rocks. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_rocks.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010). Fig. 14
Matter, H. (1940) Archer. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_archer.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010). Fig. 15
Matter, H. (1935) Zurich. Staley-Wise Gallery [Online]. Available at: http://www.staleywise.com/collection/matter/matter_plane.html (Accessed: 29 May 2010). Fig. 16