In this dissertation, I explore the question: Can we talk about expressionist design ?
Today, graphic design is often seen as something functional, minimalist, and easy to read at first glance. It aims to be clear and efficient, sometimes at the cost of emotion. We tend to forget that design can also be a language of feelings, a way to move people and create deeper connections. I believe we should bring this emotional dimension back into the heart of communication design.
Today, graphic design is often seen as something functional, minimalist, and easy to read at first glance. It aims to be clear and efficient, sometimes at the cost of emotion. We tend to forget that design can also be a language of feelings, a way to move people and create deeper connections. I believe we should bring this emotional dimension back into the heart of communication design.
Expressionism was an art movement born in Germany and Austria around 1912. It placed emotion above realism, focusing on what we feel rather than what we see. This idea has always fascinated me, the power of art to reflect an inner truth instead of reproducing external reality. In design, this could mean allowing imperfection, contrast, or even chaos to express something more human.
Exploring expressionist design also means questioning its challenges. Some designers, like Paul Peter Piech, Grapus, or Michel Quarez, used their work as a political voice. Others, such as Paula Scher, approached expression through form and typography, turning aesthetics into emotion. Designers like Anthon Beeke and Stefan Sagmeister went even further, treating design as a personal statement, an act of authorship rather than simple communication.
Today, designers have more tools than ever. We can create by hand, embracing the uniqueness and imperfection of manual work, or use new technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality. But can a machine truly express what we feel? For now, AI lacks the capacity to create with emotion though, as the film Her suggests, we might imagine a future where technology begins to feel.
Through this dissertation, I wanted to explore what it means to design with emotion. Expressionist design, for me, is about creating images that speak to the senses through color, rhythm, and intensity. It reminds us that design is not only about function, but also about feeling.
