AVAILABLE NOW: Hot Dog Picnic Poster by Herman Miller
Herman Miller's latest poster launch pays homage to the brand's annual company picnics throughout the 1970s and 80s
May 22, 2024
May 2024 – Herman Miller has expanded its iconic Picnic Poster series with the limited-edition reissue of Hot Dog Picnic Poster. A distinctly recognizable artwork, Hot Dog Picnic Poster was originally designed by Herman Miller's first in-house graphic designer, Steve Frykholm, as a tool to promote the 1973 company picnic – a beloved summer event which became an annual tradition throughout the 1970s and 80s.
"The Picnic Poster series released from 1970 to 1989 brought joy to Herman Miller employees and represents a well-loved company culture and tradition.” says Amy Auscherman, Director of Global Archives and Brand Heritage at MillerKnoll. "Originally, Frykholm created the designs for invitations and other promotional materials. The program took off quickly, with posters made available exclusively to Herman Miller employees."
Frykholm's colorful artworks – each one an abstract take on a quintessential American summer potluck menu item – grew to become as highly anticipated a tradition as the picnic itself. They soon made their way into the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and many other museums worldwide.
.jpg "Photo by Logan Zillmer, courtesy of Herman Miller")
The meticulous screen-printing technique used to recreate Hot Dog Picnic Poster still closely mirrors the process that Frykholm initiated in 1970, which he describes in a short film produced by Herman Miller as "...a sequence of events. One color at a time. And then that last one goes on, and it's better than you imagined."
Each poster is screen-printed on 100% cotton paper and mounted in an American maple frame, which is available in a natural, white, or black finish. The dimensions are 42 1⁄2" H x 28" x W 2 1⁄2" D. Hot Dog Picnic Poster is available to order for $895 USD in stores and online at Herman Miller.
Hot Dog Picnic Poster is the third in the Picnic Poster series to be offered by the brand as a limited-run reprint. Posters previously reissued include Sweet Corn Picnic Poster (1970), released in 2021, and Watermelon Picnic Poster (1971) in 2023.
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