Thursday, October 28, 2010

Aim High

.
Sadamitsu Neil Fujita, who designed the iconic original book covers for Truman Capote's In Cold Blood and Mario Puzo's The Godfather, among others, as well as classic album covers while in the position of art director for CBS Records during the formative years of modern jazz, died last weekend at the age of 89. In addition to being a distinguished designer, Fujita made it through the internment camps and enlisted in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which consisted almost entirely of Japanese-American volunteers and became the most highly decorated unit of World War II.

Read more about S. Neil Fujita's extraordinary life in William Grimes' obituary at the New York Times; Steven Heller wrote an essay for Design Observer earlier this year on Fujita and his book Aim For A Job In Graphic Design/Art which also serves as a fitting remembrance of this relatively unknown but truly great designer.

No comments: