I was invited to create print material for an exhibition about the well-known and accomplished graphic designer David Carson at the A+D Architecture and Design Museum in Los Angeles. The project requirements asked that I include his name: “David Carson,” the title of exhibit: “The Art + Grafik Design of David Carson,” and the dates, “December 4, 2022 through January 15, 2023.” In addition, I was given the task of creating the print materials in his style. David Carson’s unconventional and experimental style revolutionized print design as one of the most prominent contemporary graphic designers and art directors during the 1990s.

 

Carson, known as the ‘Godfather of Grunge,’ presented imaginative typography, distressed textures, layered backgrounds, and distinctive, rough layouts as the art director of iconic magazine Ray Gun. As a graphic design movement, grunge was defined by its rejection of convention and was influenced by underground rock culture. Due to Carson’s influence, the grunge design trend of the 90s prompted an increase in more experimental, less polished design techniques, especially in media and advertising.