Skip to Main Content
Figure holding ear sculpture
Poster for George Tscherny's Masters Series Exhibition at SVA, 1992.
March 23, 2020

George Tscherny's Sublime Installation Design

Designer George Tscherny was the recipient of SVA's Masters Series award in 1992. This annual exhibition award at SVA was initiated in 1988 to honor great designers, illustrators and art directors. 
 
Tscherny is among the best we've seen at documenting his own work and process; his collection in the Archives contains multiple self-assembled portfolios of work with contexual notes for special projects. This attention to detail extends to clients, where he's been known to include detailed installation and assembly instructions for his designs - for example, his modular travel office displays for Pan Am.

From the department of obscure Archives holdings comes this booklet that Tscherny created for his Masters Series exhibition at SVA. The exhibition itself came pre-fab from the designer. Not only were art and text panels supplied, highly specific instructions on installation were provided in a thoughtfully designed booklet. Easy as pie! In addition to wall panels, the exhibition came equipped with three free-standing units, which, Tscherny alerted the venue, would take two people to assemble. He really thought of everything; the units came with their own screwdriver in a holder! (plus, a reminder to return the screwdrive to its holder when you were done).

However, the main reason this piece caught my eye again is its design. It contains all the hallmarks of Tscherny's elegant modernism with the presence of the human hand: movement-infused photography, an interest in scale, and thoughtful use of a grid to enhance legibility. The complete booklet is reproduced below.
 
Cover of exhibition installation instructions
Exhibtiion installation instructions
 
Exhibition installation instructions

Exhibition installation instructions
 
Exhibition installation instructions
Exhibition installation photograph
 
Exhibition installation instructions
 
Exhibition installation photograph