A Modernist’s Reflection: Why Canadian Graphic Design from the Mid-Century (1960-1985) Still Matters

A Modernist’s Reflection: Why Canadian Graphic Design from the Mid-Century (1960-1985) Still Matters with Blair Thomson

From the Centennial symbol to the CBC ‘gem’ logo, Canada’s visual identity was forged during a period of optimism, experimentation, and modernist influence. Blair Thomson, founder of Canada Modern, guides you through the artefacts, designers, and creative ideas that defined mid-century Canada. Along the way, he shares insights from archival research, personal discoveries, and his work on the Design Canada documentary. Attendees will gain a new appreciation for the role of design in shaping both national culture and everyday experience, and why this philosophy still resonates today. 

*There will be a moderated Q&A session following the presentation.*

Blair Thomson is the founder of Canada Modern, an archive dedicated to Canadian graphic design from 1960–1985. Established in 2015, the collection preserves and champions a pivotal period in Canada’s design history, sharing this work internationally through research, writing, exhibitions, and education. Alongside this, Blair is Founder and Creative Director of Believe In, an independent design practice with studios in Canada and the UK. With over 30 years’ experience, his work spans diverse industries and has received international recognition. Blair lectures internationally on Canadian design and typography, sits on the ADCC board, and is co-author of Graphic Stamps (Unit Editions).

Session moderator, Dr. Rachel Gotlieb, PhD, is a distinguished curator specializing in ceramics and design. As Ruth Rippon Curator at the Crocker Art Museum (2021–2023), she curated Portland Vase: Mania & Muse. Her leadership roles include Chief Curator at the Gardiner Museum (2011–2014) and founding curator of the Design Exchange (1990–2002), where she co-authored the seminal Design in Canada. Gotlieb has shaped major exhibitions including True Nordic: How Scandinavia Influenced Design in Canada (2016) and Canadian Modern (2022–23) at the Royal Ontario Museum. Her scholarship earned her the Theodore Randall International Chair at Alfred University and a Winterthur Museum Research Fellowship (2017). Her recent publications include Ceramics in the Victorian Era: Meanings and Metaphors in Painting and Literature (Bloomsbury, 2023) and co-edited Transnational Discourses in Nordic Design (Bloomsbury, 2024).

$10 CAD fee for non-members to attend. Free to CSDA/CCAD members.

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The Canadian Society of Decorative Arts/ Cercle canadien des arts décoratifs (CSDA/CCAD) is a national, non-profit organization founded in 1981 for the study, appreciation, and promotion of design and decorative arts in Canada through programming and publications. The CSDA/CCAD publishes Ornamentum magazine twice yearly, with articles in both French and English written by makers, scholars, collectors, and journalists. Ornamentum critically addresses the aesthetics, meanings, traditions, and innovations of Canadian material culture in the areas of decorative arts and design for a general audience.

Become a member of CSDA/CCAD or subscribe to receive future copies of Ornamentum magazine.