What is Design

Alexander Isley

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      Alexander Isley, USA (1998)

      Alexander Isley is an American designer and educator. He holds a BFA in Environmental Design from NC State University College of Design and a BFA from The Cooper Union in...

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      • What is Design, 1999

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      Alexander Isley is an American designer and educator. He holds a BFA in Environmental Design from NC State University College of Design and a BFA from The Cooper Union in New York.

      Alex first gained recognition in the early 1980s as the senior designer at Tibor Kalman’s influential M&Co. In 1988 he founded his firm New York City.

      He was named an inaugural member of “The I. D. 40,” a survey of the country’s leading design innovators. His work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Library of Congress.

      Alex is a recipient of the NY Art Directors Club Herb Lubalin Award, the NEA International Design Education Fellowship, and the Federal Design Achievement Award. His work has been honored by AIGA, SEGD, AIA, SPD, the Webby awards, and the Type Directors Club.

      He is past president of AIGA/NY and is an AIGA Fellow. In 2014 Alex was awarded the AIGA medal in recognition of his body of work and contributions to the profession.

      Exhibitions

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      Design Collection

      Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY

      Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

      Smithsonian Institution, New York, NY

      Library of Congress

      Library of Congress, Washington, DC

      AIGA Archives

      Denver Art Museum, Denver, Colorado

      Alexander Isley Papers: Special Collections Research Center

      North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, North Carolina

      Herb Lubalin Study Center for Design and Typography

      Cooper Union, New York, NY

      Education

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      Instructor

      • Undergraduate
      • School of Visual Arts (USA)

      Designing with Type

      Visiting Professor

      • Undergraduate
      • The Cooper Union (USA)

      Exhibit Design

      Critic, Lecturer

      • Postgraduate
      • Yale School of Art (USA)

      Visiting Instructor

      • Undergraduate
      • Rhode Island School of Design (USA)

      Agencies

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      • M&Co.

        1984 – 1896

      • Spy Magazine

        1987 – 1988

      Awards

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      AIGA Medal
      AIGA Fellow
      "ID 40" member, survey of America's Leading Design Innovators
      Federal Design Achievement Award
      Connecticut Art Directors Club Hall of Fame
      NY Art Directors Club Herb Lubalin Memorial Award
      NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) International Design Education Fellowship
      Distinguished Alumnus, NC State University
      Best of Category, I.D. annual design review
      Society for Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD) Global Award
      Society of Publication Designers (SPD) Gold and Silver awards
      CLIO Awards
      AIA (American Institute of Architects) Honor Award
      Webby Award