The cover of Artforum magazine from February 2015. A person’s head is covered by a translucent white plastic bag, which they hold in place with one hand.

New York studio Eric Wrenn’s distinctive, refined design and art direction

Words: Alexander Hawkins
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Date: 2 November 2015; Work
Graphic Design

Whether it’s stripped-back invites and collateral for fashion labels like Eckhaus Latta or designing and art directing artist’s monographs for the likes of Bernadette Corporation, New York studio Eric Wrenn has a reputation for slick, nuanced work. The studio’s notable output sits astride the worlds of art and fashion, and mirrors the clean-cut, ranging experimentalism of its creative clients. As well as running his eponymous studio, Eric impressively doubles as design director for Artforum magazine, and his experienced editorial design is more than apparent in both the magazine and book projects like Bernadette Corporation’s 2000 Wasted Years.

The cover of Artforum magazine from October 2015. A vertical sheet of corrugated white metal stands against a plain white background. The red “Artforum” masthead is at the top, with a list of featured artists and topics to the right. — Above
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Eric Wrenn: Artforum magazine

A collage for the cover of Artforum magazine featuring the title “ARTFORUM” in bold purple letters. Three figures in different outfits are layered over a background of black and white photographs and Japanese text.

The cover of Artforum magazine from March 2015. A large, pale circular form contains abstract, organic shapes in shades of yellow and beige. The word “Artforum” appears in bold pink letters at the top, with names including “Kim Gordon” and “Jim Shaw” listed to the right. — Above
Left
Eric Wrenn: Artforum magazine

The cover of Artforum magazine from November 2014. A minimalist white background is interrupted by pale green geometric shapes and a thin, winding line labelled “April Rd”.

The cover of Artforum magazine features a painting by On Kawara. A bright orange canvas displays the date “MAY 8, 1967” in bold white lettering. — Above
Left
Eric Wrenn: Artforum magazine

The cover of an Artforum magazine issue from October 2014, set against a bright pink background. A central black and white photograph shows a person mid-air on a skateboard. The masthead reads “Artforum” in bold black type, with a list of featured artists and topics in the top right corner.

An animation in which black text on a white background changes to read “Rare”, “Poetry”, “Image” and “Laugh”.

Above

Eric Wrenn: Bernadette Corporation 2000 Wasted Years

An open book shows a full-page photograph of a person reclining on a blue quilted mat. Opposite the image, a page of dense text is curled and folded. — Above
Eric Wrenn: Bernadette Corporation 2000 Wasted Years

An open book with a bright red left page and a white right page. The red page features white text that reads “A PERPETUAL GAME OF ALLUSION WITHOUT EVER BREAKING THE ICE: BERNADETTE CORPORATION 1999–2003 TOM HOLERT”. — Above
Eric Wrenn: Bernadette Corporation 2000 Wasted Years

An open book displays a series of photographs and text. The left page features a grid of images including a fire in a street and a person resting, with the title “Get Rid of Yourself” and the word “GATU” scribbled across the bottom. The right page shows a person in a kitchen, overlaid with the handwritten words “AGAINST ALL SYSTEMS”. — Above
Eric Wrenn: Bernadette Corporation 2000 Wasted Years

An invitation for an Eckhaus Latta “Fall/Winter 2015” runway show. It lists the date as Monday, 16 February, at 2:00 pm at Artists Space in New York. A row of sponsor logos runs along the bottom, including Nike, Sassoon, Sally Hansen and Perrier. — Above
Eric Wrenn: Eckhaus Latta

Above

Eric Wrenn: Eckhaus Latta

A white fabric garment is laid across a sandy beach. The material is covered in a repeating black and red print of event details, including the name “Eckhaus Latta”. — Above
Eric Wrenn: Eckhaus Latta

Further Info

www.ericwrennoffice.com

About the Author

Alexander Hawkins

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New York studio Eric Wrenn’s distinctive, refined design and art direction

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