From December 5, 2014 through April 19, 2015, the Museo Italo Americano will exhibit the works of San Francisco design legend, Primo Angeli.

A master of advertising art since the early 1960s, Primo Angeli created innovative branding, packaging, logos and advertising posters for such stellar clients as Boudin Bakery, Ben and Jerry's, Coca-Cola, DHL, Guinness, Robert Mondavi Winery, Tommy's Joynt, Molinari & Sons, Xerox, General Foods, Banana Republic, Levi Strauss and the Oakland A's – to name a few.

Primo was also sought out to design celebratory posters of such events as the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations, the 50th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Silver Anniversary of Grace Cathedral as well as the official poster for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. His other Olympics works include poster designs for the Salt Lake Olympics, the US Olympic Team for the Nagano games, and the US Olympic Team for the Sydney games. In 1998 he was chosen to design the official posters for the World Cup in Paris for the two final contestants, Brazil and France.

Primo Angeli's work has indeed been prolific. He has received over 400 awards in his forty-five years of professional excellence. His designs are in permanent collections and exhibitions worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, Cooper-Hewitt Museum, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw Poster Collection, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, and the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.

Primo and his works are a part of San Francisco Bay Area history. Arriving here in 1959, Bauhaus trained, he immediately absorbed the San Francisco spirit in art, advertising and the birth of the 60s iconic literature, poetry and music. Many of his works from that period became an integral part of California culture. Anecdotes will accompany each of the works, giving visitors a glimpse into the story behind each piece of art and a little insight into San Francisco lore.

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"I have always reserved an empty space of paper as a playground for my own point of view, shielded from any inhibiting concern for consumer sales. I believe that when this essential spirit is present, an emotionally charged and relevant style can emerge in the portrayal of a book, a bottle, a bag of muffins—or an Olympic poster." —Primo Angeli

Source: Museo Italoamericano. Fort Mason Center
2 Marina Blvd., Building C
San Francisco, CA 94123