Harry Williamson
Harry Williamson has led a pioneering design career for more than five decades since graduating from the London School of Printing and Graphic Art in 1959.
A common thread in his extensive body of work has been the idea of less over more and identifying the opportunity to create art in everyday realms albeit - postage stamps, currency, film graphics through to publications. Harry was recognised in the Australian Publishers’ Association Book Design Awards Hall of Fame for contributions to design and typography and was inducted into the AGDA Spicers Hall of Fame 2010. He has also given back to industry – championing the designers of tomorrow as an assessor and lecturer at several universities and colleges.
During the 60s Harry’s start was as an assistant to Gordon Andrews, visualiser, graphic designer, art director and art editor. The 70s marked a foray into exhibition graphics and corporate graphics along with commemorative postage stamps for Australia Post. It also saw a period of prolific book design and production. Working in Sydney as Harry Williamson Design Partnership during the 80s and 90s, encompassed prominent commissions for signage and information programs for the National Gallery of Australia, the High Court of Australia and Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit System. His currency design for the Reserve Bank of Australia resulted in two classic bank note designs – the $100 Mawson note and the $10 Bicentennial note. It was the latter that proved a complex and politically sensitive commission - provoking fierce debate over the use of imagery.
Work in building graphics, signage standards and electronic information systems – included Sydney Airport’s International Terminal. Harry’s interest in book design and production continued to flourish– with titles for Harry Seidler and Marion Hall Best in that mix. So too the production of corporate graphics and house styles for key clients such as the Arts Council of NSW and UTS. The 2000s saw a focus on corporate reports, graphics and publications – in particular as book designer for Giramondo Publishing - several productions for Imax Films and the Biennale of Sydney – further contributing to Harry Williamson’s diverse portfolio.
DIA Hall of Fame recognises the achievements of Harry Williamson.
