Swiss Graphic Design Histories – Tempting Terms

Abstract

This publication on the reassessment of Swiss graphic design history has the format of a reference book. “Tempting Terms” assembles a variety of keywords that are without any systematic order or normative or comprehensive conception. This approach is an appropriate response to the expectations raised by the title of the research project Swiss Graphic Design and Typography Revisited. It engages on how a critical rereading of a national label might be achieved-a label that is equally understood as a style, as an economic argument in graphic design history, and an ongoing practice. The essays are written by researchers who share an enthusiasm for graphic design but come from a variety of backgrounds, from graphic design practice and teaching to art history. The specific structure of this publication intends to bring to the foreground various perspectives on the subject by individuals with their own specific self-understanding as practitioners, teachers, art historians, and designers. It is intended that the authors’ competencies should complement and challenge each other in a productive way.