fourty eight posters josef muller-brockman

This is the program guide for an exhibition of 48 posters by pioneer in the Swiss style of graphic design Josef Müller-Brockmann.  The audience for the work would likely be people who attended the installation and purchased the program.  And who wouldn't given the opportunity?!?  The showing opened May 27, 2004 which was after his death and I don't know who designed the cover of the program but it is definitely done in the Swiss style with a modern twist.  Some typical features of the Swiss style used in this piece include: asymmetric design;  mathematically constructed grid; use of tilted axes; visual & verbal information presented clearly; san serif typography flush left  leaving a ragged right margin; after Helvetica was designed  the Swiss used it almost exclusively; often use only lower case font; use of geometric shapes; repetition of shapes to create unity.

The modern twist?  It appears that the circles are actually cut out of the program.  I wish I could see the treatment of the inside.  The website (http://www.imagenow.ie/work/expression/fortyeight-posters-josef-mullerbrockmann.php) shows four of the inside pages but I want more.  And, oh, how I wish I could have seen this exhibit!

This is a highly unified and well-balanced piece.  Unity is created through the use of repetition of the colors of typeface (no doubt helvetica), the typeface itself, the three column grid, and the circular shapes. Emphasis is created in the title by size of the text and change in color of words Josef Müller-Brockmann, and the ever increasing circular pattern from the bottom right to upper left. The photography of the work is well done also with the lighting from the left illuminating the text and the reflection of on the surface of the table.

I love the colors used in the piece the burgundy, white, and light blue/gray engraved into the cover make a beautiful statement - soft, warm, peaceful.  My initial attraction to the composition was the idea of the cut-out circular pattern in the thick cardstock (cardboard?).   I also love the rhythm of the piece created by the circles - the off-center feel of the piece,  As I said earlier I love the Swiss Style and I feel that this is an excellent tribute to Müller-Brockmann.