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The series was conceived in 1990 by UCLA Extension creative director Inju Sturgeon in 1990, when she approached a 75-year-old Paul Rand with a request to design the cover of their winter quarter catalog. After much persuasion, Rand replied with a snow-covered orange that ended up making graphic design history. Since then, Sturgeon has recruited legends of design to contribute their interpretation of Southern California culture, resulting in one of the most sought-after continuing education catalogs in the country.

Cover artists include Eiko Ishioka, Lou Dazinger, Bradbury Thompson, Ivan Chermayeff, Milton Glaser, Paula Scher, Takenobu Igarashi, Saul Bass, Lee Clow, Wolfgang Weingart, Alan Fletcher, David Carson, Michael Beirut, Sam and Frank Gehry, Adams Morioka, and Lucille Tenazas, among many others.

This exhibition is presented in collaboration with AIGA Los Angeles

Concept description:

The UCLA extension catalogue for Spring 2005 was spread throughout Los Angeles and beyond in a print run of 270,000. These covers have been designed for the last fifteen years by prominent designers like Paul Rand, Saul Bass, Milton Glaser, David Carson, Paula Scher, April Greiman, etc. We are not only happy to be part of that series, but especially proud of the statement we were able and allowed to make with the cover (Thank you, InJu Sturgeon, creative director UCLA Extension, and the Dean’s office).

This is our written statement that the catalog includes on the artist page about the cover: “All we are saying is give peace a chance,” sang John Lennon. It is all we are saying. Looking at the chart of five colors the Department of Homeland Security uses to alert the American public, we feel something lacking. In this hierarchy—arranged in five levels; from low to guarded to elevated to high to severe, corresponding to five colors; from green to blue to yellow to orange to red—there seems only an escalating trajectory towards tragedy. It leaves nothing to aspire to. It lacks an alternative, a choice, a different outcome. So we added a color to the chart, the color “white,” globally recognized as the symbol for “Peace.” It is through education, by extending oneself through the acquisition of knowledge, one strengthens the foundation of peace. Flowers were chosen to represent the colors, as flowers universally represent a gift one gives to those one cares for. We care, and this is our gift. As a matter of principle we call for the addition of this color and state of being to the chart.”

Project created with Adam Eeuwens. Photography: Rebeca Méndez