History of Graphic Design

CFA AR 580

  • Historical Consciousness
  • Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy

Chronological survey of theory and practice of graphic design from the Industrial Revolution to the present. Through slide lecture, reading assignments, discussion and a studio project, we will actively investigate how graphic design responded to and influenced its social, political and technological context. Emphasis will be on European and American design histories, in addition to major movements in Russia and the East. Comparative and symbiotic relationships between graphic design and other visual arts and design disciplines such as architecture and industrial design will be analyzed. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy.