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American Pragmatism and Graphic Design: retrieving the historical and philosophical constitutions of a ‘non-theoretical’ approach to design practice’

This paper explores the contribution of American pragmatic philosophy to the discipline of

graphic design, setting out to reconnect contemporary practices with their

historical and intellectual origins. The paper establishes strong discursive and historical

connections between the pragmatic philosophy of John Dewey and William James, and the

teaching of graphic design at the New Bauhaus and The Institute of Design, in Chicago, in the

1930s. A detailed textual analysis of Dewey’s Experience and Education (1938) is offered in

relation to the writing of Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, who instituted the curriculum at the New Bauhaus,

highlighting their common ground. This close textual reading reveals substantive findings, such

as strong intellectual and conceptual affiliations between the pragmatic movement and the

education of graphic design. In the process, this detailed textual analysis augments established

historical associations with a strong sense of philosophical tradition and intellectual

correspondence. This paper identifies parallels in the use of language and concepts between

Moholy-Nagy, Dewey and James, and proposes an active reconnection with its underlying

philosophical constitutions - its epistemology, if you will - in order for the discipline of graphic

design to unlock the critical potential of a pragmatic methodology once more. There is scope,

therefore, for the development of new theoretical frameworks and conceptual models in the

teaching of graphic design, specifically within the contemporary art school. The paper has

undergone a period of rigorous peer review, ensuring the intellectual coherence and analytical

power of this work of historical retrieval. The review panel has argued that the article represents

an advance in understanding of ‘pragmatic’ approaches to graphic design, contributing to the

field of design education as well as design history, generally. The Design Journal is published by

Berg.

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