Zeller, Sara Stefanie; Lzicar, Robert; Bischler, Sandra (2018). My Own Private Swiss Graphic Design History [Performance or Exhibition]. In: My Own Private Swiss Graphic Design History. umlaut, London. 06.07.–27.07.2018
Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)What is Swiss graphic design? Which objects can or cannot be associated with it and why? And what is typically Swiss about them? As part of a graphic design history seminar at the Bern University of the Arts HKB during summer semester 2018, SGDTR-researchers Sara Zeller, Sandra Bischler and Robert Lzicar investigated the historiography of Swiss graphic design together with students of the BA Visual Communication.
The idea of the seminar was that Swiss graphic design history does not only consist of “masterpieces,” as it is often shown in design collections, exhibitions, and publications. Interesting examples can just as well be found at one’s own home, at the grandparents’ basement, or at the thrift store. Anonymous everyday graphic design of past decades tells relevant stories and, at the same time, allows to complement well-known historical narratives with alternative and personal approaches.
In this sense, the students’ task was to find graphic design objects in their environment that are related to Switzerland. These artifacts – ranging from educational posters to sandpaper – were discussed in class and selected for an exhibition scheduled for the end of the semester. The students conducted historical research on their objects and incorporated their findings into short texts, which offered personal access to Swiss graphic design history and showed the students’ interest in the individual objects, their form and time, but also a fascination for everyday and amateur design. They represented an understanding of graphic design beyond uniqueness, “author design” and national style. The writing process was supported by Regina Dürig within her seminar “Creative Writing” at HKB, and the research was documented on Instagram (#myswissgraphicdesign).
Finally, the students planned, curated and designed an exhibition, intended to present alternative histories of Swiss graphic design and typography beyond the canon and established stereotypes. It was shown at “erlesen – Raum für gedruckte Feinkost” at PROGR, Bern (9–30 June 2018) [http://www.erlesen.org] and at “umlaut¨ gallery space” in London (6–27 July 2018) [http://www.ambit.design/event19.html] supported by the Swiss Cultural Fund UK. Without claiming completeness, the exhibition offered room for diverse interpretations of Swiss graphic design. Furthermore, it contributed to the discussion of the mechanisms of historiography, the construction of national identity and the diverse social effects of graphic design practice.
Item Type: |
Audiovisual Material & Event (Performance or Exhibition) |
|---|---|
Division/Institute: |
06 Faculty of Humanities > Department of Art and Cultural Studies > Institute of Art History > Contemporary Art |
Graduate School: |
Graduate School of the Arts (GSA) |
UniBE Contributor: |
Zeller, Sara Stefanie, Lzicar, Robert |
Subjects: |
700 Arts > 760 Graphic arts |
Funders: |
[UNSPECIFIED] Swiss Cultural Fund in the UK ; [UNSPECIFIED] Hochschule der Künste Bern |
Projects: |
[UNSPECIFIED] Swiss Graphic Design and Typography Revisited |
Language: |
German |
Submitter: |
Robert Lzicar |
Date Deposited: |
20 Jun 2019 10:10 |
Last Modified: |
05 Dec 2022 15:27 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/128484 |
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