Cultural Medallion dedicated to Milton Glaser is installed at 207 East 32nd Street
Thursday, February 18, 2021
The Art is Work building, located at 207 East 32nd Street, and since 2020 occupied by the New York Review of Books, is now adorned with a Cultural Medallion honoring Milton Glaser, who had his studio and offices there from the 1960s until his death in 2020. This is a 4-story building, originally built in 1920 by the Tammany Society as a Democratic Club for the local ward. When Glaser and Clay Felker launched New York magazine in 1968, its offices occupied the top floor of the building. Ms Magazine was also created and had its offices here. Thirty-second Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue was recently named “Ms Magazine Way.”
Milton Glaser is most known for his graphic designs: posters, prints and logos. His most famous image is the I ♥ NY logo, used in New York State’s 1977 tourism campaign, done pro bono, and now copied throughout the world. Glaser’s original sketch for the logo and presentation boards are in the New York City Museum of Modern Art collection. In addition to his work as a graphic designer, Glaser was on the faculty of the School of Visual Arts for more than 50 years. He also set up an "incubator" at 207 East 32nd Street, where he mentored emerging designers and helped them get established.
The Historic Landmarks Preservation Center’s Cultural Medallion program recognizes notable New Yorkers by installing informative plaques on buildings that are associated with them. The dedication ceremony for Milton Glaser’s plaque took place as a virtual event on February 14. Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, Chair of the HLPC, introduced the speakers, who were colleagues, clients, friends and admirers: James McMullan, Artist and Illustrator; David Haskell, Editor in Chief, New York Magazine; Steve Hindy, Co-Founder, Brooklyn Brewery; David Rhodes, President, School of Visual Arts; Walter Bernard, Designer & Art Director; Gloria Steinem, Writer, Political Activist, & Feminist; Jose M. Serrano, New York State Senator; Seymour Chwast, Graphic Designer, Illustrator & Type Designer; and Rea Hederman, Publisher, New York Review of Books.
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References:
New York Times obituary nytimes.com/2020/06/26/obituaries/milton-glaser-dead.html.
Flyer for Cultural Medallion dedication event.
Image of the Cultural Medallion.
ACRIS NYC property search Block 00913/Lot 0006
Exhibition at the School of Visual Arts, Milton Glaser's SVA: A Legacy of Graphic Design sva.edu/events/milton-glasers-sva