Ivan Chermayeff Biography

born London, England 1932

Ivan Chermayeff was born in London, England in 1932. He studied at Harvard University, the institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology, and the Yale University School of Design. Chermayeff has been trustee and committee member for the painting and sculpture, film and design departments of the Museum of Modern Art; a Vice President of the Yale Arts Association, Member of the committee of arts and architecture, Yale University Council and a member of the committee for visual and environmental arts, Harvard University, Board of Overseers.

Chermayeff has been an instructor at Brooklyn College and at the School of Visual Arts, New York. He has been awarded the Industrial Arts medal from the American Institute of Architects, 1967, and Gold Medal, Philadelphia College of Art in 1971. Chermayeff is a member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts where he has acted as vice president, president and member of the board of directors; the International design Conference of Aspen, CO, acting as vice president and co-chairman and as member of the board of directors; Industrial Designers Society of America; Alliance Graphique International, and the Benjamin Franklin Fellow Royal, Society of the Arts, London. Important commissions include Exploding Triangles (Shaped canvases) IBM Data Processing Headquarters, Harrison, NY; Dimensional Abstractions (plastic laminate wall construction), Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation, Columbus, Indiana; Abstraction I (Aubusson Tapestry), Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA; Abstraction II and III, Philip Morris Incorporated, Richmond,VA; and Construction (wall with painted steel components), American Republic Insurance Company, Des Moines, OH. Chermayeff was commissioned by the Department of General Services, New York to create a blue painted steel concrete sculpture for the 49th Police Precinct, Eastchester Road and Pelham Parkway as well as an abstract fiber banner for Family Court, 900 Sheridan Avenue.

Select Timeline

Select Exhibitions

• 1995 Visual Arts Museum at the School of Visual Arts, New York
• 1994 Salander-O'Reilly Galleries, New York
• 1993 ggg Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
• 1992 ggg Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
• 1991 Ulysses Gallery, New York
• 1987 Ingber Gallery, New York
• 1986 Galerie Jamileh Weber, Zurich, Switzerland
• 1984 The Addison Gallery of American Art, Andover, Massachusetts
• 1982 Gallery Ulysses, Vienna, Austria
• 1978 Gimpel/Weitzenhoffer Gallery, New York, New York
• 1975 Jacksonville Art Museum, Jacksonville, Florida

Select Artwork

• Bauhaus Couple - 1995
• Shinro - 1994
• Ninja - 1993
• Young Smoker - 1992
• Zurich Airport Person - 1989
• Tiles of the Oceans - Architects: Chermayeff, Sologub & Poole - Aquaria de Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
  • A tile mural some five stories high graces the most visible side of the Lisbon Aquarium. From a distance it appears to depict almost photographic images of marine life. Viewed close-up, the images dissolve, becoming an abstract tapestry of classic Portuguese ceramic tile patterns.

Quotes

• "Design is directed toward human beings. To design is to solve human problems by identifying them and executing the best solution."
• "I need alot of junk around me"

Publications

• Watching words move - Ivan Chermayeff and Tom Geismar, San Francisco : Chronicle Books, c2006
• Designing - By Ivan Chermayeff, Tom Geismar and Steff Geissbuhler, Published by Graphis Inc.
• Trademarks Designed by Chermayeff & Geismar - By Ivan Chermayeff, Tom Geismar and Steff Geissbuhler, Published by PrincetonArchitectural Press and Lars Muller Publications
• Ellis Island: An Illustrated History of the Immigrant Experience - by Ivan Chermayeff, Mary J. Shapiro, and Fred Wasserman
• Ivan Chermayeff: A pedagogical scrapbook about the work of Ivan Chermayeff - by Ellen Lupton (Unknown - 1989)

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