wiedler.ch

book (design) story #150

carola giedion-welcker:
ausstellung: moderne malerei

musik-sommer gstaad, 1943
printer: kunstanstalt trüb & cie., aarau
size: 21 x 15 cm
designer: max bill

switzerland was one of the few places in war-struck europe where exhibitions of modern art were shown. this is the catalogue of a small show in the mountains (where many rich swiss had fled in anticipation of a nazi invasion), at gstaad's posh "palace" hotel in 1943. the cover features the artist's signatures: klee / picasso / max ernst / kandinsky / arp / leo leuppi / s.h. taeuber-arp / bill / mondrian / g. vantongerloo. the signatures are printed, part of the brochure's cover design. in the top right corner there is a hand-inked dedication – freundliche grüsse / ihre c.g-w. – ...

... by carola giedion-welcker (1893-1979) who wrote the introduction.

the catalogue was designed by max bill (1908-1994). for some of the illustrations bill used the printing blocks from publications he had published in the allianz verlag araound the same time – like this drawing by sophie taeuber-arp, see book story 27.

below a max bill drawing, also published in his booklet "x=x".

in the catalogue there is a list of allianz verlag publications that were for sale at the exhibition.