Luis Fitch
{{PR-speak: In 1999, after years of perfecting his niche in the Latinx demographic and graphic communications, Fitch opened his own branding and design agency, UNO. UNO worked with Target, and Cheech Marin, and other cultural projects, such as the Smithsonian Latino Center, to put Latinx branding communications on the map. (Unreferenced.) What niche is this? Who says he's perfected it? What (if anything) does "put XYZ on the map" mean? -- Hoary (talk) 21:49, 16 September 2021 (UTC)}}
Luis Fitch (born October 12, 1965)[1] is an international artist and mentor[2] specializing in graphic design, branding, and fine art.[3][2]
Early life
Fitch was born in Tijuana, Mexico.[4] Most of his work in his early years was influenced by the socio-political issues affecting the people of Tijuana and San Diego, California, including separation and injustice at the border and the challenge of living between these two worlds.
When he moved to the U.S., Fitch attended architectural school at the New School of Architecture & Design in San Diego, California, but was advised to transfer to San Diego City College, where he would study commercial art.[1] His mentors included Charles Lagreca, Dean of Graphic Communications at San Diego City College. It was through his influence that Fitch decided to attend Art Center College of Design[3] after completing school at San Diego City College. At age 25, Fitch graduated from the Art Center College of Design and began his career in graphic design.[1]
Career
Fitch accepted a position at Fitch Inc.[1] Rodney Fitch was influential in the retail design world, especially in Europe.[4] During his time working for Fitch, Inc., Fitch focused on cross-cultural design communication.[1] The elements of cross-cultural concepts,[5] bold usage of colors and design, and bilingual communications[6] became an important strategy in retail branding communications for consumers in North America and Mexico.[7]
Fitch ended up working as an art director for Fitch Inc. He worked with a retail team that advised Mexican brands before the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) emphasized exchange across North America. Part of the desire for expansion was to compete with Walmart.[8]
After his time with Fitch Inc., Fitch worked for RPA, (Retail Planning and Associates) a retail branding agency in Columbus, Ohio.[9] Together, they created Mexico’s first hypermarket, a massive shopping center located in Guadalajara. In 1995 Fitch relocated to Minneapolis, Minnesota when he accepted the creative director position at the retail branding agency company Fame.[9] He was only with Fame for one year before he decided to join John Ryan Company, a financial retail marketing firm.[9]
In 1999, Fitch opened his own branding and design agency, UNO.[3] UNO worked with Target,[5] Quaker Oats Company, Frito-Lay,[1] Cheech Marin, and other cultural projects, such as the Smithsonian Latino Center. In 2021, Fitch designed the first Día de los Muertos stamp for the United States Postal Service.[10] The stamps were issued September 30th[11] at the El Paso Museum of Art.[12]
Art works
Today, Fitch continues to work in commercial design but has also been dedicating much of his time to fine art.[1] Fitch's fine art is created in multiple media which include papel picado[13]. His works are often inspired by his childhood in Mexico. Most of his fine art pieces are heavily textured with multiple layers. The textured layers of his artwork are just as important to his work as the images of each piece. The texture he creates is a representation of the sandblasted walls that surrounded his childhood neighborhood. Fitch works with images that represent Mexican iconography, such as the Día de los Muertos calavera, and images that represent contemporary struggles, including the inhumane treatment of people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.[3] Fitch has participated in many solo and group exhibitions in Mexico and the United States, many in Minneapolis.[9] He was involved in the artist collective Grupo Soap del Corazón in the early 2000s, which put on numerous politically-charged shows[14]
Solo exhibitions
| Year | Exhibition name | Gallery / museum | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Hecho in Minnesota Posters Designed By UNO Branding[15] | Kiehle Gallery, St. Cloud State University | St. Cloud, MN |
| 2014 | Cross-cultural posters exhibition[16] | The Consulate General of Mexico and The Cultural Institute of New York | New York, NY |
| 2010 | Ten Years of Hispanic Posters[17] | Metropolitan State University Gordon Parks Gallery | Saint Paul, MN |
| 1999 | Colores Santos[18] | Flatland Gallery | Minneapolis, MN |
| 1997 | Colores Vivos[19] | Riverside Gallery | Minneapolis, MN |
Awards
- 1992 Columbus Society of Communication Arts, Creative Best Public Choice Award, Columbus, OH
- 1995 Hispanic Creative Awards Competition, 14 awards including 2 silver awards, New York, NY[20]
- 2002 Ventures Magazine, Minority Business Award, Minneapolis, MN
- 2004 Peter Glen Special Award for Public Services, Retail Advertising & Marketing Association.[20]
- 2005 The Type Directors Club, Award for the Minneapolis Institute of Arts brochure “Latinization of Minneapolis’ Lake Street,” New York, NY[20]
- 2014 People to Watch in 2014, Graphic Design USA Magazine, New York, NY [21]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Reichart, Lindsay (2015-11-16). "Luis Fitch". AIGA | the professional association for design. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 "2015 McKnight Visual Artist Fellowship Recipients Announced". MCAD. Retrieved 2021-10-04. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Radtke, Eli (2019-09-30). "Artist Profile: Luis Fitch's art is at the intersection of graphic design, fine art, and vandalism". Growler Magazine. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 4.0 4.1 Porter, Matthew (January 2006). "UNO Branding Minneapolis Frozen Or On The Rocks?". unobranding.com. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sferra, Rik (2021-11-22). "Minnesota's Best Museums, According to Latinx Artist Luis Fitch". AFAR. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Johnson, Harlan. "Hispanic Marketing, UNO Advertising Perfects Its Niche.” Format. 2002-05.
- ↑ Garrison-Sprenger, Nicole (2005). "East Lake launches new brand: Midtown". The Business Journal. 22, no 49: 37.
- ↑ Porter, Matthew.”UNO Minneapolis, Frozen or on the Rocks.” STEP Inside Design, January, 2006.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "Luis Fitch". MHS Licensing and Consulting. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Adame, Vicki (2021-09-29). "Minneapolis artist's Día de los Muertos designs break new ground as Postal Service stamps". MPR News. Retrieved 2021-10-04. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Lively Day of the Dead Stamps Available Soon". about.usps.com. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "U.S. Day of the Dead stamps to arrive Sept. 30 in El Paso". Linns Stamp News. 2021-08-17. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ ""Latino, Art Migration" opening weaves the personal and political". The Mac Weekly. 2017-02-10. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Grupo Soap del Corazón: 2004-2000 and Grupo Soap del Corazón: 2009-2005. Grupo Soap del Corazón.
- ↑ "Kiehle Gallery | Previous Exhibits". blog.stcloudstate.edu. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Mex Poster in NY, Cross-cultural Posters by Luis Fitch". Alfalfa Studio. 2014-05-29. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "If You Haven't Seen Luis Fitch Or His Work, Here's Your Chance". Fast Horse. 2010-11-01. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Abbe, Mary (2000-09-29). "Flatland Galleries: "Colores "Santos"". Star Tribune.
- ↑ Hanson, Doug (1997-10-23). "A roundup of new gallery exhibits". Star Tribune.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 "The One Club / ADC Annual Awards - Luis Fitch". The One Club for Creativity. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "2014 People to Watch". Graphic Design USA. Retrieved 2021-10-04. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)
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