Swiss Graphic Design Histories – Multiple Voices

Abstract

This publication gathers together the accounts of people who-willingly or not-have taken part in, contributed to, and been influenced by histories of Swiss graphic design. “Multiple Voices” are the voices of designers, their collaborators, peers, and clients that have been collected through interviews and other forms of oral communication such as speeches, minutes, or conversations. Some of them have seldom been heard in the literature or have even been silenced. The voices and perspectives of different generations tell us how and by whom Swiss graphic design was given meaning within specific contexts and show how that meaning has changed over the years, depending on circumstances. The expression “figure of speech” usually refers to a phrase having a meaning different from its literal sense, such as a metaphor or a simile. The multiple voices collected in this publication likewise offer more than their literal accounts. They give an insight into how stories are also told as illustrative, metaphorical accounts of the topics they deal with.