Even when he’s not idealizing Nazis, Ludwig Hohlwein cannot help but create archetypes. I’ve written before about this series of sports books, almost all of them covered with Hohlwein’s artwork. I’m fascinated whenever I find them by how in the few short years after the founding of the Nazi party, he began conceiving the quintessential heroic Aryan posture.
Mein Auto, published in 1927 by Stuggart Sports Books, is devoted to the German passion and skill at automobile racing and driving. It is no coincidence that Hohlwein’s imagery echoes the Nazi aesthetic, since sporting events allowed the Nazis to recruit members and make their propaganda felt. This book and much of the series is in a sense the roots of Nazi promotion.
PRINT’s Summer 2015 Issue: Out Now!
The New Visual Artists are here! In this issue, meet our 2015 class of 15 brilliant creatives under 30. These carefully selected designers are on the scene making the most cutting-edge work today—and as many of our previous NVAs, they may go on to become tomorrow’s design leaders. Why not get to know them now? Check the full issue out here—which includes a manifesto on design education by the one and only James Victore.
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About Steven HellerSteven Heller is the co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer /Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program, writes frequently for Wired and Design Observer. He is also the author of over 170 books on design and visual culture. He received the 1999 AIGA Medal and is the 2011 recipient of the Smithsonian National Design Award.View all posts by Steven Heller →