A tribute to Heinz Edelmann

Graphis, Jul/Aug 2002 by Niemann, Christoph

Edelmann: Even if a few discrete national approaches have survived into our computer age, your true ethnic-cliche of designers would be hard to find nowadays. The Martians, of course, are everywhere, and they are quite distinctive.

Niemann: Some people in the design community seem to still quarrel about the development of the last 10 years (computers, etc.). Do you quarrel too?

Edelmann: Computer design, that looks like computer design is mercifully disappearing. The computer has become a perfectly normal design tool, unfortunately one that I am not intelligent enough to use, so I have to find smarter, younger people to operate it for me.

Niemann: What is your "next big thing?"

Edelmann: At the end of the year, I will hang up my pencil-not quite the dramatic gesture that hanging up one's gun, saber or even monkey wrench would be. The poor old 2B is going to look pretty ridiculous up there.