1940s New York Sidewalk Art

Photography by John Fass

 

 
John Fass was a commercial artist, with a penchant for typography, photography, and fine-press publishing. In 1922 John's colleague (and competitor) William Addision Dwiggins first coined the phrase "graphic designer", for someone with a career in commercial art.

John had a finely-tuned appreciation of fine design and craftsmanship.  He identified with others who shared his artistic sensibilities, including these sidewalk artists and their customers.