Chicago is universally acknowledged for its contributions to architectural design, but its important achievements in graphic design remain underappreciated. Every taxi driver here can allegedly name buildings and their architects, yet it’s unlikely that any of those cabbies could identify the work of local graphic designers Dana Arnett or Greg Samata, unless they were relatives.
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While the group 27 Chicago Designers doesn’t exactly deal with the public’s neglect of their profession, it endures as a vestige of a golden age of graphic design in Chicago. Since its founding in 1936, the major activity of the organization has been producing the periodic catalog 27 Chicago Designers, a shamelessly self-promotional book in which each of the 27 members shows off his or her best work. Copies of the book were sent directly to executives at prominent corporations and proved to be a fruitful marketing strategy, drumming up work for group members even during the Depression. Over the decades, membership has carried substantial prestige and remains limited to the original 27 slots. New members are selected only after the death or retirement of current members.
The onetime anonymity of the profession has given way to the rising profile of graphic designers. The Art Institute’s tony Architecture Society recently changed its name to the Architecture and Design Society and appointed Ron Kovach, a member of 27 Chicago Designers, as its president. Kovach says the name change reflects the society’s wish to expand its sphere of influence and its recognition of graphic design’s relation to other design disciplines.
