YANN LEGENDRE
TANAGRAM

Yann Legendre, born in Orleans, France, in 1972, is a graphic designer and member of AIGA. After studying at the Institute of Visual Arts, he moved to Paris to become an independent graphic designer. Legendre has developed a multiform visual approach to graphic design that he refers to as Design Life, a concept based on visual eclecticism and ethnographic design. He is laureate of several national and international competitions for projects ranging from visual identity creation to posters to books for public and private institutions, publications and humanitarian associations. His work has also appeared in a variety of design reviews, most recently the French publication Etapes graphiques. In 2000 Legendre founded a publication entitled Ragoo, a review encompassing different graphic and literary experiences from its contributing writers. Between 2001 and 2004, Legendre traveled across the United States and created several "travel journals" through his sketchbooks. Legendre's journeys took him to New York, California, the Arizona desert and, finally, Chicago, where he moved in 2005. At that time Legendre gave workshops on graphic design at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2006 Legendre received the prestigious AIGA award for the best 50 Books/50 Covers of the year. Also in that year, he joined Tanagram Partners in Chicago, and he continues to work for European cultural institutions. His work has been exhibited all over the world, including the US, France, Switzerland, Germany, Japan and China.

Was graphic design your first career path?

For as long as I can remember, I have always been passionate about drawing. While the other kids in school played sports, I was content with a pencil and a piece of paper. Not a whole lot has changed since then. In France, where I lived until just over a year ago, the poster takes on a special meaning on the street. It is often printed on huge columns and is found on almost every corner of every street. When I discovered this modern medium and all the possibilities graphic design held, my career choice was simple. I started working at the age of 20 and haven't looked back. Graphic design has always been my passion, and it always will be.

Which project in your portfolio are you most proud of?

I am most proud of the projects that touch the public, not necessarily my clients or other colleagues in the design industry (although they are, of course, extremely important). Instead, I am referring to people that simply saw one of my posters on the street or who picked up one of the books I designed. I know that I have created a particularly meaningful piece of work when I receive an email or a letter from a person who was touched or inspired in some way.

I think the projects that I designed that stirred people the most include the book Forty Years of Posters for Amnesty International with a cover made up of old AI posters that have been ripped off, the "Year of the Circus in Paris" poster that is composed of more than 40 illustrations, the philosophy book collection of Inculte Publishing in France that features every book cover with just an embossed letter of the author's last name using several different typographies, and the poster I created for the play "Les Bonnes" (The Housemaids) of a potato in the shape of a woman's body.

When you have a deadline, do you start right away, wait until the last minute or switch back and forth between projects? When I have a deadline, I generally start right away. But my research on any given project often starts before I even get the assignment. When I need an idea, I rely on observations and learnings in art, history, science, literature, natureŠ. I try to be a little sponge in the world, observe as much as I can and practice drawing enough so that at times my hand wants to fall off. That's my recipe for inspiration, and when I have inspiration, the deadlines seem to fall into place.

What is your worst habit?

Where to begin! I think my most notable bad habit is that I draw ALL THE TIME, even in meetings and even at the dinner table. And, oh yeah, I am addicted to books. I think I buy books almost every day. To me, books are like air. I inhale them.

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