Swiss Style Now

Venue

Laboratorium, Sternmattstr. 3

Opening

29.9.18 / 6pm

Guests

Introduction by the curators Erich Brechbühl and Xavier Erni

Around sixty years after the international triumph of Swiss Style, the exhibition Swiss Style Now raises the question of national design tendencies. Works by Swiss designers and graphic studios from the last ten years are presented. The exhibition offers an overview of the protagonists; works such as posters, books, brochures and flyers from studios and designers illustrate just how versatile, emotional and fun Swiss graphic design is today. After a trip around the world, the exhibition will be shown in Switzerland for the first time.

Swiss Style is one of the most important and influential movements in 20th century graphic design. Characterised by unmistakable typography, abstract symbols, geometric lines and distinct colours, Swiss Style became world-famous in the 1950s as an internationally easy-to-understand language of communication.

Although Swiss design has developed noticeably in recent decades, it is often still reduced to the clichés of Swiss Style. The exhibition Swiss Style Now shows how visionary design emerges today and offers an overview of the work of the Swiss design scene in recent years; it presents current trends, various approaches and techniques and discusses new national tendencies. Works such as posters, books, brochures and flyers by Swiss studios and designers of different generations – including Ludovic Balland, Melchior Imboden, NORM, Niklaus Troxler, Martin Woodtli and many more – provide insights into the Swiss style of the 21st century. Swiss Style Now shows how the Swiss graphic heritage still serves as a source of inspiration, but how design is much more versatile, emotional and fun today.

The exhibition Swiss Style Then, which is presented in the Vögeligärtli, shows the work of the icons of the 50s and 60s in a new form.

Swiss Style Now has already been shown in Seoul (Korea), Shanghai, Hangzhou and Beijing (China), New York (USA), Hong Kong and Macau, before the exhibition will be presented for the first time in Switzerland at this year's Weltformat Graphic Design Festival.

Curation

Erich Brechbühl (Lucerne), Noël Leu (the world) and Xavier Erni (Geneva)

Scenography

Dorothee Dähler (Lucerne)

Works by

Affolter / Savolainen, Afrika, AMI, Leonardo Angelucci, Atlas Studio, B&R Graphic Design, Balmer Hählen, Bänziger / Hug, Trix Barmettler, Billy Ben, Bonbon, Erich Brechbühl, Stephan Bundi, Bureau Collective, Büro 146, Büro Destruct, C2F, Giliane Cachin, Remo Caminada, CCRZ, Cecile + Roger, Mathieu Christe, Claudiabasel, Coboi, Demian Conrad Design, Dinamo, Dual Room, Emphase, Eurostandard, Ronnie Fueglister, Futur Neue, Louisa Gagliardi, Gavillet & Cie, Grilli Type, Anna Haas, Hammer, Krispin Heé, Philipp Herrmann, Hi, Robert Huber, Ronny Hunger, Ilg / Trüb, Melchior Imboden, Johnson / Kingston, Kasper-Florio, Rafael Koch, Alice Kolb, Dafi Kühne, Ludovic Balland Typography Cabinet, Marie Lusa, Maximage, Moiré, Reto Moser, Neo Neo, Norm, Notter + Vigne, Offshore Studio, Onlab, Mauro Paolozzi, Peng Peng, Daniel Peter, Mathis Pfäffli, Präsens Büro, Prill Vieceli Cremers, Raffinerie AG für Gestaltung, Razzia Type, Tobias Rechsteiner, Aurèle Sack, Schaffter Sahli, Josh Schaub, Teo Schifferli, Schönherwehrs, Ralph Schraivogel, Izet Sheshivari (Boabooks), Dan Solbach, Martin Stoecklin, Studio Feixen, Studio NOI, Supero, TM (Todeschini + Mamie), Chi-Long Trieu, Annik Troxler, Niklaus Troxler, Paula Troxler, Rob Van Lejisen, Sidi Vanetti, Jonas Vögeli, Martin Woodtli, Viola Zimmermann