Image found on Essl. Here is another image of the wall and Lou from the book Dorfsman and CBS.
What could possibly be better than owning Lou Dorfsman's design opus "gastrotypographicalassemblage"? Well, convincing a friend to adopt, restore and display the behemoth, of course.
That's right, the Giant Wall of Food might be coming to Atlanta.
I've always loved this piece, considered by many to be a significant work of American graphic design, so when I ran across a recent story in ID Magazine, written by Eve Kahn, saying the work was in need of a home, I was shocked. According to Kahn, Dorfsman was giving it away for the cost of shipping and restoration, estimated to be about $90k—give or take.
From ID:
Dorfsman and Fasciana have tried in vain to persuade museums (including the Smithsonian and New York's Museum of Arts & Design) to accept the stack as a gift and rehab it. Fasciano estimates the project would cost $90,000. "Each panel would have to be dismantled, stripped, sanded, repaired, and reassembled." he says. "Whatever hasn't fallen off already is very tenuous." Dorfsman says he had intended it to be more durable: "I carefully specified that the letters should be screwed on, but the dummies in the shop used glue. If they hadn't, it would be alive today; it would be as much of an attraction as ever, except a little dirty."
When I read the story, I immediately thought of a good friend who had recently purchased and renovated a historic warehouse in Midtown Atlanta. There was a wall in the space that would be perfect for the piece. Anyway, what's 90k to a guy who's just dropped a few million on real estate? So I copied the article from ID, enclosed a note, scooted over to his warehouse, taped it to his door, and waited. I knew he would bite. About a half hour later he wrote:
I think you may have just cost me a stupid amount of money young lady - thank you very much! Seriously, it is a major piece of American Graphic Design History that must be preserved, and I'm sincerely grateful that you brought it to my attention. If all goes well, we'll be eating in the CBS cafeteria before Christmas.
Words can't describe how much I love making connections. In addition to the joy of seeing the piece whenever I like, it will be wonderful to share with the design community here, especially the Broadcast Design community. Besides, it would be great to see Dorfsman again before it's too late.
Even before I knew his name, Lou Dorfsman's work was known to me. As was Herb Lubalin's, Saul Bass', and a small handful of design giants working at the peak of their career when I was a kid. Their work was unmistakable and ubiquitous in the 60s and 70s, but it wouldn't be until years later, while in art school, that I would finally put names to some of the best graphic design work ever produced.
Later still, when I began working as a broadcast designer and regularly attending BDA conferences, I would be fortunate to meet Lou Dorfsman, hear him discuss his long and remarkable career, review some of his favorite work, and hear him recount the story of why there would be no Dorfsman if not for his patron Frank Stanton.
Lou Dorfsman is a legend in our field, and a treasure. That I might have played even a small part in helping to preserve one of his most remarkable and beloved works is off the charts.
Fingers crossed.
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