wiedler.ch

book (design) story #194

erika rickli:
saffa 1958

schweizerische ausstellung für frauenarbeit, zürich, 1958
printer: buch- und offsetdruck winterthur ag
size: 21 x 15 cm
designer: nelly rudin (cover), heidi soland (logo)

"saffa" stands for schweizerische ausstellung für frauenarbeit (swiss exhibition of working women). here a collection of printed materials – catalogue, event guide, map, etc. – for this big show which took place in zürich in 1958. the saffa was an important manifestation of the women's movement in switzerland. the saffa logo by heidi soland is an interesting geometrical interpretation of the planet venus symbol commonly associated with women and feminism.

the great catalogue cover was designed by nelly rudin (*1928), a graphic designer and artist who worked for the geigy company and josef müller-brockmann's studio. the grid-based progressive line pattern in green (the blue edges are caused by fading) helps to visualise the progress from the prehistoric female idol to modern – short-haired! – woman. some other graphic designs for saffa – all by women – are featured in richard hollis's excellent book on page 220 (isbn 1856694755).

the typographic design is typically swiss: multi-column grid and sans-serif type.

the ad sections are very "swiss", too: below a "concrete art" style ad by karl gerstner for the schwitter printing plate company , ...

... and an ad by carlo vivarelli for the feller electric equipment company (also see story 62) .

there is also a booklet of cards with reproductions of a mural on women in history by warja honegger-lavater (1913-2007).