Re:collection

Overview

Re:collection is a curated digital archive dedicated to Australian graphic design from approximately 1960 to 1990. It gathers original archival items, designer biographies, essays, and themed collections into a single browsable resource, filling a gap left by the absence of any comparable dedicated repository for this era of Australian visual culture.

The site targets design historians, researchers, collectors, and enthusiasts who want to study or acquire authentic print ephemera and documentation from mid-to-late twentieth century Australian graphic design.

Key Benefits

• Access to nearly 200 individual archival items spanning poster design, publication design, advertising art, and corporate identity work from the 1960s through the 1980s.
• Dedicated biographies for over 50 Australian graphic designers, including figures such as Ken Cato, Garry Emery, Barrie Tucker, and Gert Sellheim.
• Essays and feature content — including AGDA Hall of Fame profiles and design retrospectives — add editorial depth beyond a simple image repository.
• A shopping cart and checkout system allow visitors to purchase items directly from the archive, with both Australian and international shipping available.
• Thematic collections group related archival items, making period research and comparative study more efficient.

How It Works

Visitors browse the archive by section — Articles, Biographies, Archives, or Collections — and select individual items to read or purchase. Each archival entry carries a title, year, and reference number. To buy, visitors add items to the cart, then proceed through the checkout with shipping options for both Australia and international destinations.

Use Cases

• Design history academics who need primary source material on mid-century Australian graphic design for research papers or course content.
• Graphic design students conducting retrospective studies on Australian typographic and visual communication traditions from the 1960s–1980s.
• Private collectors of Australian print ephemera who want to purchase verified archival posters, brochures, and promotional materials.
• Museum and gallery curators sourcing documented examples of Australian corporate and cultural design for exhibition research.
• Design journalists and writers producing biographical or critical content about Australian designers active during this period.

Why Choose This Product

Re:collection is best suited to anyone with a focused interest in Australian graphic design history between roughly 1960 and 1990, whether for academic, curatorial, or collecting purposes. The site explicitly notes its intent to "sort out the valid from the vapid" and to establish its credentials as a serious reference, signalling an editorial rather than purely commercial orientation.