Max Robinson Graphic Archive Exhibition Nov 24 - Dec 22

23rd November, 2012

24 November -
22 December 2012
Curated by Warren Taylor

Born in Melbourne in 1934, Max Robinson studied for a year at the Melbourne Technical College before joining Clemenger advertising agency in 1952. Whilst his tasks were menial, the appearances of leading designers such as Jimmy Haughton James and Richard Beck on the agency floor sparked an already bright fuse burning inside the aspiring graphic artist.

During that period Peter Clemenger and graphic designer Max Forbes stumbled across a poster Robinson had designed, hanging in Clement Meadmore's model shop. A curiours Forbes asked: "Robinson... Isn't he that kid washing brushes in your studio?" Clemenger acknowledged the hand was that of someone more equipped to use the brush then to clean it and Forbes negotiated to loan Robinson for a year and "make him a designer".

Max Robinson has forged a reputation within the Australian graphic design industry as one of its leading figures and personalities. Whilst the heroes of this profession go relatively unnoticed outside the industry, the legacy of Robinson's work is seen by the general public everyday - his design for the $10 note.

After winning a competition in 1955 to design the programme for the, then year old, Melbourne Film Festival, it was in 1958 that Robinson gave the young event its iconic mark. He contributed two more designs to the festival in 1958 and 1961 and a catalogue of striking LP covers for the World Record Club before shifting his practice to London. He was one of a select group of Australian artists to show in the Recent Australian Painting exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery, London in 1961 after his first solo exhibition in Australia the previous year.

In London he worked for JWT on accounts for transport companies Ford and Avis, whilst keeping company with expatriates such as Mick Johnson, Tony McGillick, Margaret Fink, Leon Fink, Mary Talbot and Barry Humphries - for whom Max designed an early 7 inch, Wild Life in Suburbia. His affection for abstract art and Swiss graphic design during this period set a tone for his commercial practice, which after ten years, made its way back to Melbourne.

For the past 60 years, Robinson's commercial practice has maintained a mix of corporate and cultural clients - The Reserve Bank, Global Funds Management, Department of Trade, BHP, Western Mining, Esanda, Yulara, Hospitals of Australia, Colonial Mutual Life, Alcoa, Spotless, Qantas, Gribbles, the Nurses Board of Victoria to name a few.

In 2010 Robinson was inducted into the AGDA Hall of Fame - which was not only recognition for his contribution as a graphic designer, but his tireless advocacy for graphic design in Australia through countless tributes and lectures.

Curated by Warren Taylor (The Narrows), the focus of the exhibition will be a display of archival material, graphic work and art from Robinson's recently closed studio in Fitzroy.

The exhibition will open at 2pm on Saturday November 24 and continue until Saturday

December 22, 2012 at Block Projects, Melbourne.
Free entry, all welcome.

Presented by The Narrows