Cruz Novillo, Laus d'Honor 2023 award

The Association of Art Directors and Graphic Designers (ADG-FAD), organizing body of the ADG Laus Awards for Graphic Design and Visual Communication since 1964, awards the 2023 Laus Honorary Award to Cruz Novillo in recognition of his great contributions to the world of design and visual communication and the cultural impact these have had on the collective imagination.

The Laus d'Honor award is the recognition of a professional career of great contributions to the profession and to the culture of graphic design in general, which have served as a source of inspiration for the following generations. In previous editions, renowned professionals such as Pati Nuñez (2022), Toni Miserachs (2021), America Sanchez (2020), Ana Zelich (2019), Oscar Mariné (2018), Enric Aguilera (2017), Yves Zimmermann (2016) or Raquel Pelta (2015).

This year, in which the ADG Laus awards celebrate 53 editions, the organization pays tribute to the trajectory and legacy of Cruz Novillo to recognize his prolific career, especially in the visual creation of brands and corporate identities that have been part of the visual landscape of 'a Spain longing for modernity and democracy. In addition to its social and cultural impact, Cruz Novillo represents one of the national pillars to promote and dignify the profession of graphic design.

José María Cruz Novillo: creator of many of the most emblematic logos of recent decades

Born in Conca in 1936, José María Cruz Novillo – usually known as Cruz Novillo – is a painter, sculptor, engraver and designer.

Pepe Cruz Novillo is the creator of countless logos and iconic images of post-Franco Spain, Bank of Spain banknotes and co-author of the flag and coat of arms of the Community of Madrid. His are, for example, four visual identities that remain after decades: Correos (1977), PSOE's fist and rose (1977), Policía Nacional (1986) or Repsol (1996).

Countless creations by Cruz Novillo have contributed to this new urban and everyday imagination of any citizen: ONCE Foundation, Renfe, the Public Treasury, TVE, Antena 3, Endesa, Grupo Prisa, El Mundo, Banco Pastor, Cope, Diario 16, El Economista or Visionlab.

In addition, he is also responsible for posters for films such as "Los lunes al sol", "El espíritu de la colmena", "Deprisa deprisa", "Barrio", "El sur" or "La escopeta nacional", among others

His style is characterized by simplicity and play with geometric shapes and symmetry. Cruz Novillo's design consists of simple, thick strokes, easily identifiable, often monochromatic, and the combination of negative and positive forms. Simplicity and graphic synthesis is what makes his works timeless and powerful designs, images that never go out of style.

He was the protagonist of the film "El hombre que diseñó España", released in 2019, which reviews his career and places him as the most important graphic designer of the second half of the 20th century in our country.

Cruz Novillo is National Design Award (1997), Gold Medal of Fine Arts (2012), Honorary Postman (2019) and Academician of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando.

In 2007, Cruz Novillo founded, together with his son Pepe, a designer and architect, the Cruz más Cruz studio.

Award presentation at the 2023 ADG Laus Night

The ADG Laus 2023 awards for Graphic Design and Visual Communication will be made public at the ADG Laus Night, the traditional awards ceremony, which will be held on June 8 at 6:00 p.m. in Palo Alto, Barcelona.