Thomas H. Geismar (born July 15, 1931) is an American
graphic design
Graphic design is a profession, academic discipline and applied art that involves creating visual communications intended to transmit specific messages to social groups, with specific objectives. Graphic design is an interdisciplinary branch of ...
er.
Biography
Thomas H. Geismar was born on July 15, 1931, in
Glen Ridge, New Jersey
Glen Ridge is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,802, an increase of 275 (+3.7%) from the 2010 United St ...
.
Geismar studied concurrently at the
Rhode Island School of Design
The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD , pronounced "Riz-D") is a private art and design school in Providence, Rhode Island. The school was founded as a coeducational institution in 1877 by Helen Adelia Rowe Metcalf, who sought to increase th ...
and
Brown University
Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
. He received a master's degree in graphic design from
Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...
, School of Art and Architecture. After school, he joined the army for two years.
Geismar met
Ivan Chermayeff
Ivan Chermayeff HonRDI (June 6, 1932 – December 2, 2017) was an American graphic designer and artist. He is best known as co-founder of graphic design firm Chermayeff & Geismar. Chermayeff created logotypes for the Smithsonian Institution, Ha ...
at Yale and in 1957, they founded the firm Brownjohn, Chermayeff & Geismar (now
Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv) along with
Robert Brownjohn
Robert Brownjohn (August 8, 1925 – August 1, 1970) was an American graphic designer known for blending formal graphic design concepts with wit and 1960s pop culture. He is best known for his motion picture title sequences, especially ''From ...
. Geismar has designed more than a hundred
corporate identity
A corporate identity or corporate image is the manner in which a corporation, firm or business enterprise presents itself to the public. The corporate identity is typically visualized by branding and with the use of trademarks, but it can also i ...
programs and established abstract corporate symbols. The unifying element in his work is the repetition of symbols which gives new life to the form.
In 1960, he proposed a radical mark for
Chase Manhattan Bank
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., doing business as Chase, is an American national bank headquartered in New York City that constitutes the consumer and commercial banking subsidiary of the U.S. multinational banking and financial services holding ...
which was the repetition of four shapes around a square to form an octagon. It was met with resistance but stood out from competition, leading other corporations to create abstracted corporate logos.
His designs for
Xerox
Xerox Holdings Corporation (, ) is an American corporation that sells print and electronic document, digital document products and services in more than 160 countries. Xerox was the pioneer of the photocopier market, beginning with the introduc ...
,
Chase Manhattan Bank
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., doing business as Chase, is an American national bank headquartered in New York City that constitutes the consumer and commercial banking subsidiary of the U.S. multinational banking and financial services holding ...
,
Best Products
Best Products Company, Inc., or simply Best, was a chain of United States, American catalog showroom retail stores founded by Sydney and Frances Lewis in 1957 and formerly headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. The company was in existence for four ...
, Gemini Consulting,
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
,
Univision
Univision () is an American Spanish-language terrestrial television, free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. It is the United States' largest provider of Spanish-language content. The network's programming is aimed at the L ...
,
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commerce, commercial buildings covering between 48th Street (Manhattan), 48th Street and 51st Street (Manhattan), 51st Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. The 14 original Art De ...
and, most notably,
Mobil
Mobil Oil Corporation, now known as just Mobil, is a petroleum brand owned and operated by American oil and gas corporation ExxonMobil, formerly known as Exxon, which took its current name after history of ExxonMobil#merger, it and Mobil merge ...
(1964) have received worldwide acclaim. Geismar has also had major responsibility for many of the firm's exhibition designs and world's fair pavilions. His projects include such major tourist attractions as the
Ellis Island Immigration Museum, the
Statue of Liberty Museum, the
Truman Presidential Library
The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library and resting place of Harry S Truman, the 33rd president of the United States (1945–1953), his wife Bess and daughter Margaret, and is located on U.S. Highw ...
, and the redesigned
Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written by American lawyer Francis Scott Key on September 14, 1814, after he witnessed the bombardment of For ...
exhibition at the
Smithsonian National Museum of American History. He has received major awards in the field, including one of the first Presidential Design Awards for helping to establish a national system of standardized transportation symbols.
Geismar was awarded the
AIGA medal in 1979.
In 1998, he was inducted into the
Art Directors Club Hall of Fame. In 2014, he was awarded the
National Design Award for Lifetime Achievement along with Chermayeff and the
School of Visual Arts’ 26th Masters Series Award recipient.
Books
* Chermayeff, Ivan and Tom Geismar. (2006) ''Watching Words Move.'' New York: Chronicle Books
* Chermayeff, Ivan, Tom Geismar, and Steff Geissbuhler. (2003) ''designing:'' New York: Graphis
* Chermayeff & Geismar Inc. (2000) ''TM: Trademarks Designed by Chermayeff & Geismar.'' New York: Princeton Architectural Press
* Geismar, Thomas H., Harvey Kahn, Ralph Sessions, Dave Hoffman (photographer). (1998) ''Spiritually Moving: A Collection of American Folk Art Sculpture.'' New York: Harry Abrams
See also
*
List of AIGA medalists
Following is a list of AIGA medalists who have been awarded the American Institute of Graphic Arts medal.
On its website, AIGA says "The medal of the AIGA, the most distinguished in the field, is awarded to individuals in recognition of their ex ...
References
External links
Chermayeff & Geismar & Havivwebsite
Tom Geismarwebsite
Interview with Design Legend Tom Geismarwebsite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Geismar, Tom
1931 births
Living people
American graphic designers
Brown University alumni
Rhode Island School of Design alumni
AIGA medalists