The exhibition, which will run in the Espacio Fundación Telefónica between July 15th and October 4th, includes a selection of designs made by Alberto Corazón (Madrid, 1942), for over half a century. The journey of one of the most emblematic Spanish designers ranges from a tour of over the books to the industrial design through 132 posters, 115 images and sketches, and 145 logos, objects and models. The exhibition includes his most outstanding pieces as the signs for the Reader House in Madrid, the design of equipment for Cercanías-Renfe, the sketch for the Domo Telephone or the poster for Madrid's Festival de Otoño.
The exhibition, which is curated by Ana Arambarri, collects pieces that are part of Spain's current culture. The society recognizes most of his images and logos, that have been integrated into the collective memory of our country.
'Among the old printers I learned not just a job but a way of understanding life. I learned to listen, to respect and to gain the respect'.
Telefonica Foundation exhibits a variety of Alberto Corazón's designs, over fifty years. There is no area of the graphic or industrial design where he has not worked. "The risk of design today," says Alberto Corazón, "is to forget about the functionality and accept the penalty of aesthetics. In the latest years, the computer mouse has replaced the pencil and nothing can be done as before. In every sense, conceptually and formally." Alberto Corazón defends design as an intelligent activity, the result of reflection and thought. The creative effort takes shape through sketches, drawings and diagrams that reflect the communication strategy. He believes that excellence for this profession is in the neurons, never in computing resources.
Designer, painter and sculptor. His conceptual and aesthetic footprint is neat. He has published a dozen books on design and artistic creation, exponents of commitment to their work. Academic of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, has been awarded by the most prestigious international professional institutions, and in Spain, with the National Design Award in 1989. This exhibition takes us on a tour through symbols, objects, signs. A dive into the depths of graphic language.
EXHIBITION.-
The first graphic revolution: the book
"The starting point of design as a profession was caused by the Industrial Revolution, which transformed our natural reality in an environment of objects and signs." Corazón says the designer is the star of this modern complex scenario. The first revolution was triggered by the appearance of the book. The production of a book involves all areas of the graphic arts: design, composition, engravings, printing and binding. It is a complex process that requires high level of competence by qualified professionals. The book is an everyday product and we are not aware of their sophisticated cultural complexity. The modest paperback book we by for a few euros, is the result of the effort, decisions, knowledge and experience of professionals who feel a strong commitment to culture. "Among the old printers I learned not just a job but a way of understanding life," recalled Corazón. "I learned to listen, to respect and earn respect. With those typesetters, proofreaders, engineers, regents, I could establish a beautiful relationship of exchange."
The poster, an urban area for reflection
The poster was seen in the early twentieth century as a punch in the eye. Like a cry in the walls of the city. In a grey urban environment with a lack of incitement, the poster lit the streets with its advertising and radically changed the environment. Over the years, the poster was losing its advertising efficiency for new media. The poster's life seemed to have concluded. But now, in the twenty-first century, is when the poster gets prominence and finds a new promising new status. A space for graphic reflection. Alberto Corazón, understands the poster as an area of communication and graphic reflection, he carried out a radical revolution using a graphical language committed to the content of the message to be transmitted, which focuses attention on persuasion and evocation. A soft elegant language, that is effective, forceful, direct and empathetic.
Logos and symbols: Identity generating signals.
Identity is what allows you to get out of anonymity, stop being a "white label" in the collective imagination. Identity is taking responsibility for who you are: an institution, a product, a service. And therefore accept the penalty and criticism or acceptance and recognition. The "signs of identity" that Corazón designed have a strong presence in our daily lives.
Graphic and industrial design, a matter of strategy.
Alberto Corazón's capacity to create images of great visual power, has never distanced him from the essential in design, the strategy. Corporate Identity works and Industrial Design are characterized by rigor in defining the client's goals and the development of a strategy to achieve them. "The design process", he says, "is a lively itinerary and lives from the market". The understanding of these approaches is what allows you to make sound decisions in each of the phases. The step from Graphic Design to Industrial Design was a natural evolution. Alberto Corazón doesn't see a difference between the way to address both of them. It is determined only by their different functions. Each Identity is its own world, according to the characteristics of the company or institution. For him, design is a tool for optimizing our relationship with the environment. The designer does a professional service to the community, whose ultimate goal is to improve our quality of life.
Everyday objects.
Chairs, lamps, ashtrays, clocks, carpet, a board game, chess. Consumer culture offers an extraordinary range of objects for our house. In this section, the objects are not designed obeying the personal taste or fashion trends. For Alberto Corazón, they are the archetypes with which, sometimes, the designer must be measured with.
Alberto Heart has been the creator of such iconic logos of institutions like Paradores of Spain, RENFE or ONCE. Books, original drawings, documents and posters will be displayed. All with visual and didactic projections and audiovisual reinforcement. The exhibition aims to encourage design as a key of innovation and as a creativity tool.
CREDITS.-
Location.- Telefónica Foundation.
Dates.- July 15th to October 4th.
Guided tours.- Tuesdays at 12.00 a.m. and 18.00 p.m.
