I first stumbled upon the work of English illustrator, designer, author, activist, Chris Haughton on a way too hot summer day in a small, but very full book store in Lyon in 2024. It was the 39-page board book Shh! We Have A Plan about how the youngest in a band of bird-snatchers demonstrates, with curiosity and critical thinking, the pointlessness of his team-mates’ obsession to catch the free, colorful birds. It was love at first sight and I have since collected most of the series of these heartfelt little board books for small children. And design lovers. Naturally, I was thrilled by the announcement of his new book, and first non-fiction title, that same year; The History of Information.
Apart from his award-winning children’s books, Haughton has, amongst much more, designed fair trade rugs in Nepal, animated films about climate action and research and has recently cofounded the association We Are Better Than This against Big Tech’s theft of copyrighted material for training AI.
That summer in Lyon, I was one tumultuous year into my professional career in arts, post-school, and generative AI was already seeping its way into not only the creative fields, but seemingly everywhere. Fast. It was saddening, scary and infuriating. The opposite of Chris Haugton’s children’s books.
Haughton’s work is playful, inventive, and inspire curiosity on every colorful page. His stories, shapes, colors and words are bold and elegant and he knows exactly how to arrange the visual information in order to clearly communicate the point, feeling, and statement. In other words, Haughton is an excellent graphic designer. He takes his young target audience very seriously and each story, though mainly for small children, carries a profound message and theme for all ages, beautifully conveyed with humor and heart.
The History of Information from 2024 is no exception. The project has been underway since 2006 where it was inspired by a Berkeley University course by the same name. The book tells in words, illustrations and graphics, on 144 big playful, intricately designed pages, the comprehensive history of information and information technology; from Language to Drawing, Writing, Printing, Science, News and newspapers, Networks, Broadcast, Disinformation, and finally Computers. For children and adults alike. The book celebrates information as central to our history and technological development, but it also discusses its integral use in upholding systems of financial and political power. Repeatedly and to this day. Information as art and invention, as liberation and rebellion, as well as manipulation and oppression. Information as disinformation.
Haughton tells us the stories of the technologies, the people, places, and historical contexts, to lead us critical and informed into to the book’s final section and the age we are currently entering at ligtning speed; the age of artificial intelligence. Where does this technology come from and why? Who controls it? Do they control us?
For designers and illustrators, the book is nothing short of a masterclass on conveying complex information with clever visual systems, as well as an insightful context for the tools and technologies we use and our present world of communication. It’s inspiring to witness, as you read, the time, thought and creative ideation and decision making down to the last detail. The craft. Haughton’s love for the subject and his excellent execution is to me a moving celebration of visual communication and information-sharing in it’s own right.
Although I can only imagine the joy that this visual encyclopedia would have brought to my childhood, I am certain it has entered my life, and the world, at just the right time. I hope children, teenagers, and adults for that matter, of today and tomorrow will glue themselves to it, get lost, found, informed and inspired by it as I have. I certainly feel found, as someone venturing into illustration, design and bookmaking on the shaky grounds of this new era and current world situation. Because the book is a testement to books. To knowledge and ideas and imagination. Haughton’s work, the relationship between his art and activism is a reminder of not just what great design can be, but more importantly why we need it.
He demonstrates with curiosity and critical thinking, creativity and imagination the pointlessness of trying to oppress what should be free. Colorful birds.
Explore the book along with Haughton’s other breathtaking work on his website chrishaughton.com.
