Karl Gerstner, 1930–2016

Swiss National Library rightfully will regard Karl Gerstner as “one of the most important innovators in typography, commercial art and corporate design” for centuries to come after his passing at the age of 86, on the 1st of January, 2017. One of the foremost Swiss artists and graphic designers, for numerous ground-breaking reasons, Ger­st­ner carefully divided his brilliance between being a painter and a graphic designer and became a pioneer in both pur­suits.

…Ger­st­ner knew that the aes­thet­ics of typog­ra­phy can aid the com­mu­ni­ca­tion of ideas and infor­ma­tion and that was the foun­da­tion of Inte­gral Typog­ra­phy.

Gerstner’s best-known work includes his book ′Programme Entwerfen′, published in 1963 – containing four essays, in which he explains the basic principles of his design method. Instead of setting out step-by-step formulas, the book provides a universal system for developing individual solutions, anticipating technological developments at the very beginning of the computer age.

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Chromorphose 3.01
1973
nitrocellulose lacquer on aluminum
48½ h × 32 w in (123 × 81 cm)

Synchromie, 2003
Screenprint in 8 colors
53 x 72 cm (20.9 x 28.3 in)
Edition of 400

Carro 64
Material / Technique: variable picture ; 64 colour printed aluminium cubes, wooden and PVC tenter frame
Dimensions / Duration: 40 x 40 x 2,5 cm

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