Is there a Mirko Ilić among us today or has technology stripped our society of the possibilities? Where are the geniuses who can move us through images, requiring no words at all? The image on the left was created by Ilić for Emerge magazine in 1994. It ran in an article entitled: The First Amendment: Friend and Sometimes Foe. I can almost hear the voice of the man in this illustration.
Dejan Krsic’s Mirko Ilić: Fist to Face, highlights Ilić’s incredible design work, while also offering an intimate view into his life, beginning in Yugoslavia, even noting his first paid job painting numbers on 6,000 Dinamo stadium seats in Bucharest.
His designs are both moving and incredibly rich with detail. As talented as Ilić is, it was not always recognized. As a young artist, he was denied admission to the Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts after successfully finishing his degree at the Zagreb School of Applied Arts. It was at that time he was introduced to graphic artist, Boris Bućan, giving Ilić a new perspective on design and inspiring more ways to create.
Mirko Ilić: Fist to Face showcases his work around the world, but his work in America is astounding for
those of us limited in our knowledge of international relations. Long before he arrived, Ilić was already a success. But for Americans, he pushed our buttons and continues to do so. A cover for the LGBT Marriage and Family Legal Resources brochure in 2004 asks, “So are you two gonna get married?” Ilić’s design, nearly a decade after it was created, is timeless, speaking volumes now as the U.S. Supreme Court discusses the legality of same-sex marriage.
The detail in Ilić’s work is incredible. In 2000, he designed this image for the New York Times Book Review Deep Throat: Mystery Solved. Every time I look at this, I find something I missed. If you have lacked in political image design or detail specific graphics that provoke a narrative,
Mirko Ilić: Fist to Face, is a great reference tool. Print magazine’s MyDesignShop.com is offering the book at 35% off the retail price for a limited time.
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