Design Center Stuttgart: BildBildung. Hanns Lohrer – Poster Art from the 1950s -1970s

There is a 1961 poster by the Stuttgart designer Hanns Lohrer for Porsche which depicts a Porsche 356B framed by pair of skis and a fur hat.

The image cries out Sean Connery era James Bond.

Refined, exclusive, self-confident, a little bit cheeky …. and highly desirable.

Together with the other works in the “The Perfect Sporting Partner” series the poster is a delightful testament to Lohrer’s ability to produce work that perfectly matched the client’s brief without compromising himself creatively.

A mix that was very much to Porsche’s liking, and as the company’s first proper “advertising designer” Hanns Lohrer guided Porsche’s visual marketing throughout the 1950s and 1960s and helped establish the brand identity.

On September 4th 2012 the Porsche Museum Stuttgart will open a special exhibition dedicated to Hanns Lohrer’s work for the company; and by way of a small appetiser on Wednesday July 4th the Design Center Stuttgart is hosting a presentation of Wolfgang Berger and Uwe Lohrer’s book “BildBildung. Hanns Lohrer Plakatkunst der 1950er bis 1970er Jahre”

Doubling up as the exhibition catalogue “BildBildung” is more than just a collection of over 200 images of Lohrer’s work but through the numerous texts is also an entertaining introduction to a man who although one of Germany’s first proper commercial graphic designers has more or less vanished from popular memory.

One of Lohrer’s very first designs was for the “Wie Wohnen?” exhibition held in Stuttgart in 1949; Lohrer’s poster featuring the domestic bliss of a cat dozing on a “traditional” wooden kitchen chair contrasting perfectly with the brave new designer furniture world on show in the exhibition, including many of Egon Eiermann‘s early works such as the SE 42 side chair or the E 10 Rattan Chair.

In the following decades he completed numerous projects for institutions as varied as Mercedes Benz, the German Red Cross and Olympia typewriters. In addition of course to his nigh on 20 year collaboration with Porsche.

The book presentation on July 4th features Anja Schrade from the publisher avedition, the two editors Uwe Lohrer and Dr. Wolfgang Berger as well as Dieter Landenberger, Head of the Porsche Archive and exhibition curator and in addition to discussing the work and legacy of Hanns Lohrer will also explain more about the background to book and exhibition.

An entertaining evening in its own right – but as we say also a delightful appetiser for what we can expect in September.

“BildBildung, Hanns Lohrer – Plakatkunst der 1950er bis 1970er Jahre” takes place on Wednesday 4. July 2012 at 7pm in the Design Bibliothek, Design Center Stuttgart in Haus der Wirtschaft.

Entry is free but owing to the limited number of seats available advance registration is requested.