AIGA/NY : Garth Walker

Garth Walker is coming to New York City. He's coming to New York City all the way from South Africa.

When he gets here, he'll share with us an all-encompassing overview of his life as a graphic designer in ‘Darkest Africa’ since 1994 (South Africa’s first democratic elections).

The journey - as he calls it - covers a smattering of South Africa’s city and township vernacular, photography and graphics from selected personal projects including The Constitutional Court of South Africa and the Saint-Etienne International Design Biennale.

He'll also address the question: “What makes me African, and what does that look like?” Since 1995, Garth has published his experimental studio graphics magazine ijusi. The (non-commercial) magazine provides a platform for people around the world to explore their own personal views on the African experience. He is widely regarded as the pioneer of post 1994 ‘South African rooted graphic design’,

Even on the darkest New York City winter night, we're all sure to leave feeling inspired, provoked and completely re-energized.

Garth Walker founded two of South Africa’s best-known graphic design studios. Orange Juice Design in the early 1990s (acquired by Ogilvy South Africa), and more recently in 2008, Mister Walker. Both studio’s work in the corporate sector for many of SA’s best known brands on both large and small projects across a wide range of disciplines.

He is represented in the Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Minneapolis Art Institute, International Center of Photography, National Portrait Gallery (UK), Boston Institute of Contemporary Art, Biblioteque Nationale de France, Victoria & Albert Museum (UK), The Smithsonian and numerous university and academic collections worldwide. His published work numbers well over 100 books and magazines.