Armin + Dorothea Hofmann: A Perfect Marriage
05/23/2024
A Perfect Marriage: Dorothea and Armin Hofmann
A Memorial Celebration
On April 27, Yale School of Art and 220 alumni honored the remarkable contributions of Armin and Dorothea Hofmann to graphic design and design education. The Armin + Dorothea Hofmann Scholarship Fund raised over 100K to support future generations of designers.
From the first time he came from Switzerland to teach at Yale in 1957 to their last time as visiting faculty in 1991, Dorothea and Armin influenced and enriched a generation of students and brought international prestige to the graphic design program at the Yale School of Art. Armin also directed the Yale Summer Program in Graphic Design from 1982 to 1996, while Dorothea contributed her expertise in drawing. Together, their legacy continues to inspire and shape the world of graphic design.
Program
Welcome: Kymberly Pinder
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Dean of Yale School of Art
Education: Nontsikelelo Mutiti
Director of Graduate Studies in Graphic Design at Yale School of Art
Saki Mafundikwa
Gratitude: Janet Odgis
Context: Philip Burton
Encouragement: Kyle Cooper
Teaching: Inge Druckrey
Inspiration: Matthew S. Gaynor
Thesis: Patricia Boman
Relationship: April Greiman
Legacy: Min Wang
Readings: Anne Dutlinger, Anne Ghory-Goodman, Brian Wu
Acknowledgements
Antonio Alcalá (MFA 1985): for designing the memory book
Philip Burton: for bringing together our program of speakers and for starting the scholarship fund
Anne Dutlinger (MFA 1984): for organizing and editing the book and visuals
John Gambell (MFA 1981): for handling the print production
Nancy Mayer (MFA 1984): for the image presentations
Chris Myers (MFA 1983): for stage management
Janet Odgis (MFA 1985): for event creative direction
Chris Pullman (MFA 1966): for his knowledge and advice
Tom Strong (MFA 1967): for exhibiting his poster collection
Brian Wu (MFA 1988): for creating the website
A special thank you to The Yale School of Art and
Yale School of Art Alumni Association
Kymberly Pinder, ’95 Ph.D., Stavros Niarchos Foundation Dean of Yale School of Art
Nontsikelelo Mutiti, Director of Graduate Studies in Graphic Design
Nicole Freeman, Director of Development and the School of Art Alumni Relations and her team, Elizabeth Landau, Assistant Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Sarah Stevens-Morling, Senior Critic; Assistant Dean, Communications and Digital Media, Janna King, Program Coordinator
Armin Hofmann (1920–2020) was a Swiss graphic design pioneer renowned for his mastery of design principles and the development of 'The Swiss Style.' He shaped and led design education at institutions like the Basel School of Art and Crafts and the Schule für Gestaltung Basel, setting global standards with his iconic posters. His posters, celebrated for their economical use of color and fonts, have been exhibited in esteemed museums such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Dorothea Hofmann (1929–2023) was a distinguished artist, graphic designer, and beloved educator. She collaborated closely with Armin to advance design education, and her impact extended to institutions like Yale School of Art and the National Institute of Design in India.
Swiss design extended to Africa. Nontsikelelo Mutiti, the Director of Graduate Studies in Graphic Design at Yale School of Art, is a Zimbabwean-born visual artist and educator. She studied at ZIVA, the Zimbabwe Institute of Digital Arts, a graphic design and new media training college in Harare, Zimbabwe, with Yale alumni Saki Mafundikwa, who started the school after being inspired by the Hofmanns. Nontsi received a scholarship to Yale and is now heading the Graphic Design Department.
A Memorial Celebration
On April 27, Yale School of Art and 220 alumni honored the remarkable contributions of Armin and Dorothea Hofmann to graphic design and design education. The Armin + Dorothea Hofmann Scholarship Fund raised over 100K to support future generations of designers.
From the first time he came from Switzerland to teach at Yale in 1957 to their last time as visiting faculty in 1991, Dorothea and Armin influenced and enriched a generation of students and brought international prestige to the graphic design program at the Yale School of Art. Armin also directed the Yale Summer Program in Graphic Design from 1982 to 1996, while Dorothea contributed her expertise in drawing. Together, their legacy continues to inspire and shape the world of graphic design.
Program
Welcome: Kymberly Pinder
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Dean of Yale School of Art
Education: Nontsikelelo Mutiti
Director of Graduate Studies in Graphic Design at Yale School of Art
Saki Mafundikwa
Gratitude: Janet Odgis
Context: Philip Burton
Encouragement: Kyle Cooper
Teaching: Inge Druckrey
Inspiration: Matthew S. Gaynor
Thesis: Patricia Boman
Relationship: April Greiman
Legacy: Min Wang
Readings: Anne Dutlinger, Anne Ghory-Goodman, Brian Wu
Acknowledgements
Antonio Alcalá (MFA 1985): for designing the memory book
Philip Burton: for bringing together our program of speakers and for starting the scholarship fund
Anne Dutlinger (MFA 1984): for organizing and editing the book and visuals
John Gambell (MFA 1981): for handling the print production
Nancy Mayer (MFA 1984): for the image presentations
Chris Myers (MFA 1983): for stage management
Janet Odgis (MFA 1985): for event creative direction
Chris Pullman (MFA 1966): for his knowledge and advice
Tom Strong (MFA 1967): for exhibiting his poster collection
Brian Wu (MFA 1988): for creating the website
A special thank you to The Yale School of Art and
Yale School of Art Alumni Association
Kymberly Pinder, ’95 Ph.D., Stavros Niarchos Foundation Dean of Yale School of Art
Nontsikelelo Mutiti, Director of Graduate Studies in Graphic Design
Nicole Freeman, Director of Development and the School of Art Alumni Relations and her team, Elizabeth Landau, Assistant Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Sarah Stevens-Morling, Senior Critic; Assistant Dean, Communications and Digital Media, Janna King, Program Coordinator
Armin Hofmann (1920–2020) was a Swiss graphic design pioneer renowned for his mastery of design principles and the development of 'The Swiss Style.' He shaped and led design education at institutions like the Basel School of Art and Crafts and the Schule für Gestaltung Basel, setting global standards with his iconic posters. His posters, celebrated for their economical use of color and fonts, have been exhibited in esteemed museums such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Dorothea Hofmann (1929–2023) was a distinguished artist, graphic designer, and beloved educator. She collaborated closely with Armin to advance design education, and her impact extended to institutions like Yale School of Art and the National Institute of Design in India.
Swiss design extended to Africa. Nontsikelelo Mutiti, the Director of Graduate Studies in Graphic Design at Yale School of Art, is a Zimbabwean-born visual artist and educator. She studied at ZIVA, the Zimbabwe Institute of Digital Arts, a graphic design and new media training college in Harare, Zimbabwe, with Yale alumni Saki Mafundikwa, who started the school after being inspired by the Hofmanns. Nontsi received a scholarship to Yale and is now heading the Graphic Design Department.
