Architektur der USA seit 1947, 1950

This two-color offset poster, designed in 1950 for an exhibition on mid-century architecture, was created by Eric for the Office of Land Management’s Cultural Institutions Division. The black, hand-rendered, abstract design alludes to the stacked blocks of a four-story building; whimsical and minimal, it is in direct contrast to the formal rendering of a modernist structure seen in the halftone to the right.

When Eric designed this poster, he was nearing completion of his studies in graphic design and was granted the opportunity to produce visual materials for the division’s programs in Stuttgart. He recalled that this initial submission was deemed “unacceptable,” but his persistence was ultimately rewarded: over the next four years, Eric designed a series of twelve posters for Amerika Haus, a U.S.-funded initiative promoting democratic values and cultural exchange through exhibitions and performances.