IRANIAN LOGOS
The above Iranian logos, from top right to bottom left, are: Book
Translation and Publication Center (Mahmoud Javadipour); National Oil
Company of Iran (Mahmoud Javadipour); Jibi Book Company (Houshang
Kazemi); Niel Publication (Mohammad Bahrami); Shiraz Art Festival
(Houshang Kazemi); Sharaf Nespaper (Abutorab Ghaffari); Tehran
University; Ministry of Art and Culture (Sadegh Barirani); IranAir
(Zahrabian); National Radio and Television of Iran (Mohammad Aslani);
Tehran International Film Festival (Morteza Momayez); Reza Abbasi
Museum (Moreza Momayez); Tourist Attraction Organization (Houshang
Kazemi); National University of Iran.
Following the
Constitutional movement and the increasing knowledge of the Iranian
intellectuals on western culture, the need for expansion of commercial
and cultural relations with other countries was felt in the society.
Also, following the modernization of Reza Shah era, the establishment
of factories and the publication of the public and government press,
the establishment of print shops and printing of various books also
become necessitated. The establishment of different industrial and
financial organizations, in addition to financial investments,
machinery and specialized forces, also required the exact knowledge of
the individuals and their goals. It was here that signs became
applicable for better communication and receipt of information, and
found their modern day niche.
In 1190 the first print
shop was opened in Tabriz, and in 1216 the first Iranian newspaper by
the name of 'News and City Events' was printed. Following that, two
newspapers, Vaghaye Etefaghiye in 1229 and 'Government against Iran' in
1239, were printed. All these papers bear the image of the lion and the
sun, the sign of Iranian kingdom, and are regarded as the government's
power and influence. The first Iranian stamp was printed in 1247, and
also bears the same image. Afterwards, Sharaf newspaper was printed and
its name is also designed with traditional patterns including the lion
and the sun image on top. It is from this point in time that
calligraphers along with painters start designing logos for the press
using various methods of calligraphy to distinguish the identity of
their papers.
In 1309 the first advertising agency was
established by Sarvari brothers. The logo of this agency clearly
expresses the thought system of the designers of that time. This logo
contains the first letters of the names of the founders, the year
established, the image of a book and a torch (symbols of knowledge),
all line up together to create a solid image. Later, logos were
designed by Fredric Tallburg for the railway, Sadegh Berirani for the
Ministry of Culture and Art, Houshang Kazemi for Tourist Attraction
Organization and Javadipour for the National Oil Company of Iran.
In
1319 the Faculty of Fine Arts was established to in turn become the
role model for all Iranian art schools. The logo for the University of
Tehran, which had nationalistic tendencies, was impressed by ancient
Persian motifs and was later refined by Morteza Momayez. This outlook
includes all visual logos of all the organizations and factories
established at that time. The conception that finds the eras of the
Achaemenid and Sassanid Imperial dynasties as the climax of Iranian art
and civilization, desires logo designs representing symbols of these
eras. The examples can be seen in Babol's municipal hall building,
Sepah and Melli Banks. In these logos the Achaemenian soldier is the
main element in the design.
Before a graphic design major
was established in the faculty of fine arts, all of the logos were
designed by painters and calligraphers and they possessed a painting
structure, but upon the establishment of this program and the
introduction of students to the principles and foundations of this new
art, logo designs found a different exposure. In a very short period,
designers used new forms in designing Persian calligraphy with regards
to foreign examples. The logos of Nil Publication, Arj Industrial
Companies, Ahang Music Company, Minoo Confectionary Company and Book
Translation, and Publication Center were among this group.
Gradually,
painters were replaced by trained designers and graphic design became
independent. Logos were created that bore a more integral and completed
Iranian quality and the use of Iranian elements were applied more
consciously. In the logos of the National University, National Radio
and Television, Jibi Book Company and Iran Air, Iranian elements were
applied more plainly and consciously. The tendency towards the use of
calligraphy ,along with knowledge and expertise of designers, led to
innovative new forms of calligraphy.
Presently, the
perception of a suitable logo for a good designer refers to a form that
can reflect an organization's visual essence and its reputation in the
simplest way. An Iranian graphic designer, by exact use of diverse and
beautiful Iranian motifs, can grant a powerful cultural aspect and
build a special reputation for an organization's identity.
While
graphic design in the post-revolution years became hasty and behaved
immaturely at times because it looked anew at Iranian identity and
referred to Islamic motifs, in its long journey it has reached mental
perfection and has gradually manifested its qualities through the
intellect.
About the article:
This article was originally published in NESHAN Iranian Graphic Design Magazine, Number 8, Winter 2006. Reprinted with permission.