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From Home Furnishing Business
Herman Miller Releases “Watermelon Poster” for 100th Anniversary
June 28,
2023 by HFBusiness Staff in Business Strategy, Industry 
Throughout its history, Herman Miller has worked with many graphic designers and artists who came to define the look and feel of their respective eras.
In 1970, Herman Miller hired its first in-house graphic designer, Steve Frykholm. For 20 years, Frykholm created Herman Miller's annual company picnic posters creating bold and colorful designs and capturing the festive celebrations of summer.
The iconic series has since made its way into countless museum collections and firmly landed Frykholm on the short list of Herman Miller’s illustrious design alumni.
Now, Herman Miller has brought a selection of its greatest graphic design and illustrations back to life as a poster collection. Having launched the Sweet Corn poster in 2021, the next poster in the series is the Watermelon Picnic Poster (1971) available as a limited run reprint.
The Watermelon Picnic Poster (1971) was one of 20 posters designed for Herman Miller’s annual company picnic and is the epitome of a summer setting. Frykholm's design of a zoomed-in view of a watermelon, with bold colors, creates a stylish illustration that's now one of the most sought-after designs within Herman Miller’s Picnic Poster series.
“People often ask where they can find the bold ads and graphic artworks on the walls of our office spaces, which prompted us to reprint selected pieces from our archives,” said Amy Auscherman, director, archives and brand heritage.
“The Watermelon Picnic Poster is one of our customer favorites. I like that you can clearly tell what it is thanks to the colors, but it feels way more abstract.”
A limited run and numbered production of 200 posters will be available, having been faithfully recreated in Michigan at the original screen printers’ studio and using the authentic 1971 screen.
Printed onto 100% cotton paper and framed in American maple with a natural, white, or black finish, the poster appears to float in the frame, creating a graphic look when hung on a wall. The poster is now available through Herman Miller for $895 USD.
This launch complements ongoing celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Herman Miller’s brand name.