A forgotten hero: Jacqueline Casey
Women weren’t always acknowledged in the public eye. They were “treated as the inferior, minority sex” [1], and were constantly overshadowed by men in the creative discipline of design. Women over all creative fields have contributed a vast amount of iconic designs over the years ranging from graphic, product, industrial and architectural design just to name a few. However, they have not been recognised for their designs even though they’re just as capable and proficient as men.
Jacqueline Casey (1927 – 1992)
The designer I’ve chosen to focus on is Jacqueline Casey, a graphic designer born in 1927, Massachusetts. She was a 1949 graduate from Massachusetts College of Art, which is now known as Massachusetts College of Art and Design. After she graduated, she struggled to obtain a job in the creative field, so she works as a cashier to make ends meet financially. She persisted and worked hard to develop her own technique and style.
Retrieved from: http://www.grafiktrafik.com/jacqueline-caseys-swiss-style-posters/
Retrieved from: http://www.grafiktrafik.com/jacqueline-caseys-swiss-style-posters/
in time, Casey was later employed by Muriel Cooper, an alumna at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). She was enlisted to design a collection of posters. This collection ended up being one of her most iconic designs. “Casey’s posters generally consisted of a striking image or bold typography, accompanied by informational details in small text” [2]. Her methods in design has been influenced by the Swiss movement by using san-serif typefaces, a grid template to enhance simplicity and readability. “Casey’s work acknowledges the influence of the Grid established by the post-war graphic design masters in Switzerland” [3] such as Josef Müller-Brockmann and Armin Hofman who were the iconic designers during the 20th century.
Retrieved from: http://www.grafiktrafik.com/jacqueline-caseys-swiss-style-posters/
Comparing Casey’s posters to the posters produced by Earthworks, they share similar characteristics. With further analysis, they both utilize the asymmetric layout in combination with bold san-serif type and vivid colours. Both using a similar technique, of grasping the viewers’ attention by implementing a hierarchical structure. “Earthworks poster collective as a group [that] created iconic images” [4] which was enlarged central image as the central focus spanning across the entire poster. Over the image, supporting text surrounds the outskirts of the poster to entice the viewers to delve deeper once they’re hooked in. This same strategy was also Casey’s methods to designing posters too.
Retrieved from: https://maas.museum/
Casey’s posters were acknowledged in the design community for her science and technology poster designs. She was skilled in her ability to effectively communicate information in a interesting and creative manner. Casey always considered how the audience would view her work and succeeded in making them think about the ‘deeper meaning’ in a flowing pattern. Her legacy in art and design will continue to inspire young designers who aspire to reach their goals. As we can all relate to her struggles as a graduate, in the tough industry of design but she will also continue to impact the future of design practice.
References
1. History Of Graphic Design. (2019). 07. Jacqueline S. Casey. [online] Available at: https://edpacheco16.wordpress.com/jacqueline-s-casey/ [Accessed 10 Apr. 2019].
2. History Of Graphic Design. (2019). 07. Jacqueline S. Casey. [online] Available at: https://edpacheco16.wordpress.com/jacqueline-s-casey/ [Accessed 10 Apr. 2019].
3. Flask, D. (2019). Swiss Design : Design Is History. [online] Designishistory.com. Available at: http://www.designishistory.com/home/swiss/ [Accessed 11 Apr. 2019].
4. Berry, J. (2009). Earthworks and Beyond. Personal communications.
Monica Yin
Design Methods 