RGD and SDGQ remember Frédéric Metz

Associate Professor at the School of Design at UQAM; Member of the Type Directors Club of New York, the Alliance Graphique Internationale, the Royal Academy of Arts and the Société des designers graphiques du Québec (SDGQ); and recipient of the Icograda Lifetime Achievement Award, Frédéric Metz passed away earlier this month at the age of 70.

Frédéric Metz's influence as an author, teacher, and creative communicator is remembered by his students and colleagues as a driving force behind Quebec's design community.

"Nous avons tous eu un professeur qui marque notre vie pour le mieux, qui nous communique sa passion et nous pousse à nous dépasser et à nous réaliser. Dans mon cas, ce fut Frédéric Metz. Avant qu’il ne m’enseigne, je connaissais le personnage à travers certaines de ses créations, mais surtout grâce à sa réputation qui faisait rayonner le programme de design graphique de l’UQAM tant ici qu’à l’international. J’avais hésité entre le journalisme et le design graphique et la chance d’étudier sous la houlette de Frédéric Metz avait grandement influencé ma décision qui devint par la force des choses un choix de carrière...read more" - Philippe Lamarre DGA, Président, Société des designers graphiques du Québec (SDGQ)

"Last week, a prominent figure of Québec’s graphic design community passed away. During the mid-seventies in Montréal, Frédéric Metz was amongst the first to introduce new generations of Québecois graphic designers to the International (Swiss) Style. His teaching at the University du Québec marked a departure from the traditional art & craft approach to an academic method based on universal principals of typography and content layout — the pursuit of true clarity. Frederick Metz was a man of influence whose great legacy will not be forgotten." - Denis Leclerc RGD

"Frédéric Metz had a reputation of being a tough teacher but one that inspired and helped shape the careers of many designers in Quebec and beyond. I, unfortunately, only had the opportunity to admire his work from afar but he definitely left his mark with clients like Bulova Watches, Oscar de la Renta and of course UQÀM." - Nicole Vallée RGD