Born in 1931, he is a New York City citizen but spent fifteen years in the Swinging London where he created with Fletcher and Forbes, the world famous agency Pentagram, before coming back to the Big Apple. He still works there, as a freelancer and agreed to answer some questions given before his lecture at Mudam, October 17th.

You started your career as a graphic designer, art director, illustrator and teacher in mid-1950s. What was your first work and how did it come to you?

“The first job I ever did was a cover for Interiors Magazine. And how I got it was pretty much the same way I got my other jobs…knocking on doors of all the publishers, advertising agencies, record companies, book publishers, etc., looking for illustration and/or design work.

Could you present us what Fletcher/ Forbes/Gill is? And then Pentagram Design?

“Soon after I arrived in London I met two of the nicest, most talented, most intelligent young British designers, Alan Fletcher and Colin Forbes. It was soon obvious that we were destined to form a partnership. We began in 1962, and it turned out to be a most stimulating, exciting experience for all three of us.

Fletcher and Forbes taught metypography and I helped them conceptually. Almost immediately we became one of the most successful graphic design offices in Europe.

It was obvious that F/F/G would keep on growing. And after more and more partners were added, the name was changed to Pentagram. 

You made many different things, from books, even including children books to logos, posters, illustrations, ads, covers, letterheads, industrial films, multimedia show, without forgetting teaching. How you would define yourself?

“I guess I would define myself as a ‘problem solver’, a ‘communications problem solver’… a designer who thinks that no visual element, color, typeface is always good, or always bad in design. It's good if it's the best way to solve the problem. It's bad if it isn't the best way.”

 

Bob Gill will give a lecture at Mudam, on October 17th, 6:30 PM. Registrations at: www.designluxembourg.lu.

 

See complete interview available from this afternoon, on http://explorator.rtl.lu/blog/2008/10/16/bob-gill-a-multitalented-designer.html.