Wednesday, December 30, 2015

207 East 32nd Street

We just ran across this article from the New York Times Sunday real estate section about history of the building which houses our studio. Our windows are marked in picture below.

The building was originally built in 1901-1902 on the watch of the Tammany boss Richard Croker, to house the headquarters of the Tammany Central Association.

"Croker, who had become boss of Tammany Hall in 1886, for 16 years worked the job not as a public service, but as a money tree. Of the three dozen individual Tammany districts, Croker’s Tammany Central Association, the 20th, occupied an old house at 207 East 32nd Street. In July 1901, optimistic about the coming fall elections, the organization started work on a purpose-built clubhouse on the same site.

The architect, Robert T. Lyons, developed an exuberantly French facade of red brick and limestone, with a mansard roof; although showy for 32nd Street east of the Third Avenue El, it was worthy of any lot on Fifth Avenue. Lyons presumably gave it a few smoke-filled rooms, and it also had a top-floor gymnasium, card rooms and an assembly hall for political conventions."

Read the full article here.


Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Rock Against Racism

Browsing internet, I came across this Rock Against Racism button. Seeing this button flooded me with nostalgia and sadness. Nostalgia, because I remember when I was wearing that button in 1978/1979.
Sadness, 
because not much has changed about our relationship with racism. It seems like it is even getting worse.

"Rock Against Racism was a campaign set up in the United Kingdom in 1976 as a response to an increase in racial conflict and the growth of white nationalist groups such as the National Front. The campaign involved pop, rock, punk and reggae musicians staging concerts with an anti-racist theme, in order to discourage young people from embracing racism. The campaign was founded, in part, as a response to statements and activities by well-known rock musicians that were widely regarded as racist."

Photos of me by Milisav Vesovic.



Tuesday, December 22, 2015

"1941/42 Anti-Masonic Posters" Catalogue

This year I managed to complete my collection of 20 Anti-Masonic (Anti-Semitic) posters from 1941, originally produced for Anti-Masonic (Anti-Semitic) exhibition in Belgrade, Serbia. The exhibition "The Grand Exhibition of the Work of Masons, Jews and Communists" was organized by German "Propaganda Section South-East" department, with the material support from the German military authorities and quisling Serbian Government.

Because Zagreb Jewish Film Festival Association and I are using these posters for traveling shows,
I decided also to create an accompanying catalogue.

The amazing amount of research through many different archives, and writing for the catalogue,
was done by art historian Jelena Banjac. The 64-page bilingual (Serbian/English) catalogue was designed by Dejan Krsic, and published by Heartefact Fund, Serbia.

All this was made possible by generous financial donation of AIC Foundation Inc.

More about the traveling shows:
http://mirkoilic.blogspot.com/2013/10/antimasonic-poster-show-opening.html
http://mirkoilic.blogspot.com/2014/12/anti-masonic-poster-show-opening.html
http://mirkoilic.blogspot.com/2013/05/anti-masonic-poster-show-catalog.html

The pdf of the complete catalogue can be downloaded here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4NmV8-aIaGdbVA2bWJWanFCZE0/view?usp=sharing













Monday, December 21, 2015

11 Industries Logo

We designed the logo and identity for 11 Industries, "A lifestyle company that creates fashionable, high quality accessories & gifts for men". Below are some of their products using the logo.

For more photos click here.















Thursday, December 17, 2015

Hot From the Press to the Bookshelf

The Croatian book publishing company Adamic just published the book "Igraonica za odrasle:
Polet 1976.-1990."
(Playground for Grownups: Polet 1976.-1990.) for which I designed the cover.
It is a book by Zeljko Kruselj, about Polet, the most influential youth weekly newspaper in
ex-Yugoslavia. For a short period of time, I was the editor of comics and illustrations there. 





Friday, December 11, 2015

Hari Dzekson in New York

I recently brought back from Serbia two black and white photographs of Hari Dzekson (Harry Jackson), which he was displaying in the window of his photography studio.

Aljuš Musli (1944–1999), a young Muslim photographer from my hometown of Bijeljina
(population 10,000-15,000 at that time), who was a passionate Western films lover, so much that starting in the seventies he changed his name to Hari Dzekson and devoted all the time and
money he had to shooting Western movies, with 8mm camera. He and his friends, fellow "actors" built sets of Western towns from scratch. Local peasants were supplying them with horses and
local Roms (Gypsies) acted as Indians. At that time he became a cult personality.
Unfortunately, by now he is mostly forgotten.

Soon I will be taking his photographs to the West of USA, he deserved to finally make that trip.

Unfortunately, all links and stories I have about Hari are in Bosnian language.
More about Hari Dzekson here.
___

I par isjecaka iz clanka “Vecernjih novosti” (06.04.2010):
*
Sem Harija, Nastić, Muratović i Ristić se sećaju i drugara Ota i Žaka, koji su na snimanju
`popili mnogo batina`, jer se to radilo odistinski, nije se moglo odglumiti.
- Mašinovođu potplatimo sa litrom rakije i dve porcije ćevapa, da malo uspori voz, kako bismo snimili scenu pljačke voza. Nije nama ništa posebno trebalo. Kamenolom imaš u Teočaku, Drina ti je kao Rio Grande, u Jablanuši je ona livada bila jalova, ništa se na njoj nije sejalo, bila je bolja nego prava prerija. U mahali nađemo nekoliko Roma, samo im stavimo ratničke boje, pa kao pravi Indijanci.
I seljaci su bili dobri, davali nam svoju stoku kad god je trebalo da snimimo krdo goveda, milo im da se njihova goveda pojave u filmu - priča Juso Muratović, čiji je čitav život obeležen filmom.
*
HARI Džekson je u to vreme bio veoma popularan, pa su nas zvali da snimamo reklame. Vršačka pivara nam je 1987. ponudila da snimimo reklamu za sok. Bili su slogani `Hari Džekson pije sok, alkoholu kaže jok` i `Žedan sam ko pas, daj mi ananas`. Ja sam dobio honorar od 37.000 dinara.
Ali, sve je pojela inflacija, takvo je vreme bilo - kaže Đorđe Nastić.





Friday, December 4, 2015

WakEUp! Festival in Belgrade

I am leaving for Belgrade where I am going to open the festival WakEUp! with
Serbian playwright Biljana Srbljanovic. 
WakEUp! festival will be held December 7th–16th, with a goal to raise questions related to the refugees and their uncertain destinies, and at the same time it calls
the world to show solidarity and humanity.
I hope to see you there!
More about the festival here.
More in English



Wednesday, November 25, 2015

"Presenting Shakespeare" in "San Francisco Book Review"

Steven Heller and my book "Presenting Shakespeare" made
the "San Francisco Book Review" holiday gift guide.
Here is the digital edition.


Monday, November 23, 2015

Pylade

Nicky Lindeman and I just finished designing the poster for the play PYLADE, by the late Italian film director Pier Paolo Pasolini, for its U.S. premiere at La MaMa, 40 years after the author's murder. The production is directed by Ivica Buljan, director of the Croatian National Theatre, and begins performances on December 3 at La MaMa's Ellen Stewart Theatre. 

"Pasolini’s PYLADE, a contemporary reinterpretation of the relationship between Pylades and Orestes from Greek mythology and the ORESTEIA." –La MaMa

Play is performed by Great Jones Repertory Company with special guest artist Marko Mandić, and it was art directed by La MaMa's Mia Yoo. 

Photography by Theo Cote.




Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Art for The Apple Effect

In their 20th anniversary issue, Fast Company magazine published an article
titled "The Apple Effect: 9 Ways Apple Changed the World With the iPhone".
Fast Company Creative Director Florian Bachleda, decided to hire 9 artists to
typographically illustrate each of the ways iPhone has changed the world.
I was honored to be one of the artists.



Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Slanted Magazine

We got featured in the new issue of German design magazine Slanted number 26, covering New York.

More about this issue here.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Presenting Shakespeare featured in The Times UK

The Times in the U.K. (circulation 394,240 daily), in the Nov. 14th issue, as part of
the paper’s regular “Six of the Best” feature, asked Royal Shakespeare Company artistic director Gregory Doran to choose his favorite 6 Shakespeare posters,
from Steve Heller and my new book "Presenting Shakespeare: 1,100 Posters from Around the World".


Wednesday, November 11, 2015

"Why I Curse" cover illustration

I just got a new book from one of the Croatian most famous columnists and writers, Vedrana Rudan, titled "Zasto Psujem" (Why I Curse), for which they used my illustration for the cover. The book is published by V.B.Z. – biblioteka Ambrozija.


Thursday, November 5, 2015

Covering Print book

I just received book "Covering Print" by Steven Heller, published for the 75th anniversary of Print magazine. The book contains 75 covers which convey Print's importance as a signpost of graphic design evolutionary achievement.
I am honored that one of the 75 chosen covers is mine.

More about my cover illustration here.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

EXD'15 Biennial, Lisbon Conferences

EXD15 biennial English website is now online!
Book your place for the Lisbon Conferences now.



AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN’T SEE, Exhibition — Lisaboa

"The curators of this exhibition, Mirko Ilić, João Castro and Marco Balesteros, invited a set of 28 communication designers to research and reflect on the main theme of the Biennale, exploring the relationship between the mind, the individual and creativity.
The participants present over 60 pieces, comprising different communication platforms, ranging from posters and books to tapestries and postcards, corresponding to two main typologies: original works specifically created for this exhibition and more directly related to the theme; and pre-existing pieces that in some shape or form embody the thematic dimension of the Biennale.
The exhibition is divided into two geographically separate presentations: in Porto AS FAR AS THE MIND CAN SEE and in Lisbon AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN’T SEE, containing a range of content that is distinct and complimentary. The body of the exhibition is accompanied by the publication of a newspaper, with texts and reflexions from the curators and participants."
Art below by Hesign.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

My Upcoming Lecture Announcement: Lisbon, November 13th 2015

The first announcement for my lecture at School of Fine Arts in Lisbon, Portugal, 
on November 13th at 6pm. If you are around, see you there!



Wednesday, October 28, 2015

EXD'15 Biennial

I was invited by Guta Moura Guedes to be one of the curators for the exhibition "As Far As The Mind Can See" as a part of EXD'15 biennial in Portugal, and to commission 18 artists from around the world.

The exhibition will be divided between two cities, Porto and Lisbon, with Porto opening on November 12th, and Lisbon on November 13th. The exhibition will last until December 20th in both venues.
I hope to see you there!
EXD'15 will also host Underground Images, SVA subway poster exhibition in Lisbon, from November 13th - December 20th, about which I will hold a lecture on Nov 13th and 6pm at the University of Fine Arts in Lisbon.
Translation of the program is coming soon, I will let you know once it is live!

Monday, October 12, 2015

Italian Humanitarian Society Quarterly Publication Cover

Italian Humanitarian Society, established in 1893, just featured my illustration on the cover of their quarterly. This illustration was originally created for Los Angeles Times in 2003, for the article "The Last Taboo".



Thursday, October 8, 2015

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

2015 IDC Korea

I will be holding a workshop at this year's International Design Conference in Gwangju, Korea. The workshop will be on October 17th and18th, from 9:00am-12:30pm. I hope to see you there.

Here is the link to the conference:
http://www.2015idc.org/


Thursday, October 1, 2015

Presenting Shakespeare Book Signing at Designers and Books Fair

Steve Heller and I are going to be signing our new book, Presenting Shakespeare: 1,100 Posters from Around the World this Saturday at Designers and Books Fair 2015.

The book signing will be held on Saturday, Oct 3 from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. in the Reeves Exhibition Hall at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

We hope to see you there!