Rolf Harder collection

Graphic Designer Rolf Harder (1929 – 2013) was born in Hamburg, Germany and worked for German agencies before relocating to Canada. In 1959 he opened his own design office in Montreal, Design Collaborative Montreal Ltd., with Ernst Roch.

In 1969 Graphis wrote the following about their work:

The first discovery made by anyone who undertakes a study of Canadian graphics is that there is no such thing as real Canadian graphic design, even if due consideration is given to the antipodean achievement of the late Carl Dair and the so far uncrowned king of Canadian graphics, Allan Fleming.

This absence of any national individuality in the graphic field is no doubt due to the fact that most designers and art directors are of foreign extraction. Another point that cannot be overlooked is that Canadian advertising graphics — for all their emancipatory aspirations — are strongly influenced by what is being done in the United States. Toronto and Montreal are only a short air ride from New York, and in the continuous exchanges that result it is the Canadians who are mostly at the receiving end. But a palpable contribution also comes from Europe, and particularly from Switzerland.

http://blog.graphis.com/in-memory-of-rolf-harder-1929-2013/