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when the “look” of modernism was appropriated by industry and named the international style, it lost moral authority. —dan friedman

New Year's Card. A face, black circles and a number 1986 floating in space

Detail, NewYear’s Card, 1986.

corporate years

The need to prove his theories in the field pushed Dan Friedman to break new ground and take a job with a design studio. He was offered a senior position in Anspach Grossman Portugal to work on the Citibank rebranding and moved to New York. Friedman created a corporate identity that employed all his typography knowledge and talent. Four years later he joined Pentagram where he continued to work on branding, packaging and letterheads.

The Citibank Identification Standards Manual. A book with a word Citibank on cover
Black and white logo sketches on a white wall

Sketches for the Citicorp logo, Anspach Grossman Portugal office.

The Citibank Identification Standards Manual, 1975.

Pages from the Citibank Manual

Pages from the Citibank Manual, 1975.

Traffic barricade at the construction site for Citicorp

Traffic barricade at the construction site for Citicorp, while with Anspach Grossman Portugal, 1975.

One of the posters for Citicorp Center. A construction site view
One of posters for Citicorp Center. A building plan

Dan Friedman, Poster Series for Citicorp Center, while with Anspach Grossman Portugal, 1976.

One of the posters for Citicorp Center. A shoe, a clarinet, a man's hand etc floating in white space
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we should return to a belief in a radical spirit—the idea that design is something that can help improve society and people’s condition. —dan friedman


A multicolored folding screen

Bagatelle, 1992. Produced in Milan.

radical modernism

At the beginning of 80’s, Dan Friedman realized that designers’ contribution to society can be much broader than following narrow commercial agenda. As a reaction, he became more interested in art and decided to return to private practice. The hybrid body of works he referred to as “Radical Modernism” was re-exploring idealistic Modernist roots that got lost halfway through. While most designers’ work eventually ends up in the trash, Friedman was collecting items found on streets to transform them into new objects, including furniture, art pieces and installations.

 

Strategic Orbital Simulator, 1989. Collection of Ken Friedman. © Joe Coscia, Jr.

Strategic Orbital Simulator. A hybrid between a racing car and a space rocket
Side Table. A half of a table attached to the wall
Handoid installation. A metal hand with four fingers, holding a sphere

Handoid, 1990. © Joe Coscia, Jr.

Side Table, c. 1989.

Interior of Dan Friedman’s apartment

Interior of Dan Friedman’s apartment, 1991. © Antoine Bootz.

design with Readymag

editor-in-chief
diana kasay

editor
zhdan philippov

creative director
anton herasymenko

layout designer and art director
stas aki

issue designer
vasily podryadchikov

text author
anya filippova

photo editor
ekaterina furceva

content manager
tsvetelina miteva

 

stories. dan friedman

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