Abstract:

“For students that are new to the study of graphic design, a canon gives the impression that they need to go no further; the best is known, the rest is not worth knowing. This is unfair, dangerous and shortsighted.” (1991, p. 44) Learning the history of a discipline is one of the most important part of the cultural and factual development of young students trained in a specific subject, both form a theoretical as well as from a practical point of view. History, in fact, opens the perspective on the filo-genetic development of a knowledge field, shows its evolution through time, the milestones or the main turning points where new ideas, discoveries or perception toward the world changed. It tells the stories of outstanding personalities in the field, their contributions or visionary capabilities to look head over times, and how protagonists shaped the contemporary. But what happens if the significant contribution of “others” protagonists, e.g., women, minorities, different personas spectrums – an this notion itself of diversity should be questioned and inquired– is systematically ignored, or intentionally canceled by the ones writing the epopea of the past? How does it impacts in terms of role models, aspirational possibilities, identification, thinking models e further development in terms of professional careers and human development? The paper proposes a first critical mapping activity on Graphic Design history manuals – at international level (english written books) ad compare it to at a local national context, i.e. Italy, –used to teach design history to undergraduate, bachelor and master degree students. Adopting the methodology proposed by Martha Scotford (1991) and recently revived and updated by Laura E Franz (2022), the research project investigates the presence, mention and space dedicated to female protagonists in the history of Italian graphic design and compares these results with previous studies by critically discussing the local situation additionally exploring the emerging Italian literature and initiatives in the field.

References:
[1] Scotford, M. (1991) ‘Is There a Canon of Graphic Design History?’, in De Bondt, S. and de Smet,C. (eds.) (2012) Graphic Design: History in the Writing (1983–2011). London: Occasional Papers.

Keywords:

Graphic Design History, Gender studies, Inclusive teaching, Design for inclusion, Italian graphic design history.