Czerny's Symposium. License: All Rights Reserved.

Czerny’s Symposium, issue 001: “Kodoku” is a 204-page publication that revolves around the Japanese idea of 孤独 (kodoku)—exploring how isolation and loneliness creep into the lives of visual artists, writers, and creatives alike. Select contributors offer an intimate insight into their creative process, share how they find resilience in the face of solitude, and reflect upon the emotional journey they navigate in the act of creating.

Pantasia (Wei Huang / Counter Forms) serves as the primary typeface for the visual identity of Czerny’s Symposium—as seen in the logotype and used throughout the publication across section headings, running footer labels, and speaker identifiers in interviews. Herbik (Daniel Veneklaas / Counter Forms) is the secondary typeface used for all body text. Neue Haas Unica (Toshi Omagari / Linotype) provides visual contrast to the previous two serif typefaces as a functional and unassuming sans serif; it is applied to page numbers, artwork captions, and footnotes at smaller sizes, while blown up in scale across pull quote pages.

The inaugural issue was published in 2025 in an edition of 100. The publication includes a foreword and introduction by Junpei Satyapan, along with contributions from Charlie Broadhead, Dakota Butler, Daylen Seu, Ethan Ming, Lola Dement Myers, Shi Hong, and Weihong Zheng.

Czerny's Symposium. License: All Rights Reserved.

Czerny's Symposium. License: All Rights Reserved.

Czerny's Symposium. License: All Rights Reserved.

Czerny's Symposium. License: All Rights Reserved.

Czerny's Symposium. License: All Rights Reserved.

Czerny's Symposium. License: All Rights Reserved.

Czerny's Symposium. License: All Rights Reserved.

Czerny's Symposium. License: All Rights Reserved.

Czerny's Symposium. License: All Rights Reserved.

Design thinking has created divisions in the discipline: either designers are too theory driven or simply practitioners. Those feeling lost can easily turn to a language meant to inspire creative production in easy to pitch ways, where rhetoric uses design to keep power at bay, to celebrate hegemonic beliefs which are used to indoctrinate designers in bad education, incapable of imagining different futures. If you take away the post-its, the A3 papers and the markers, can designers think?

Led by Antonio Gramsci’s advice that knowing thyself requires compiling an inventory, design critic, educator and researcher Danah Abdulla pays tribute to the late architect, activist and critic Michael Sorkin, whose original list “Two Hundred and Fifty Things an Architect Should Know” inspired this updated version targeted at designers. The iterative list is not meant to be a definitive how to guide, but to spark conversations, to prompt critical thinking and to help designers reconfigure their discipline.

Published by Onomatopee in 2022 and reprinted by Set Margins’ in 2024 and 2025.

Art Handling in Oblivion assembles five art collections that have been stolen during key historical events, either by regimes or organised individuals. Seizure of art is one of most hidden and underestimated objectives of war. Behind conquering campaigns lurk hidden stories of deprived cultural heritage and devastation of the enemy's cultural identity. Some of the discussed collections have been found and restituted, others are still in hostile possession or missing.

The book is published as Volume 1 (#501) of the paperback series fink twice by edition fink, originally presented by Rob van Leijsen as his Master thesis for the Spaces & Communication course at HEAD – Genève in 2012.

Art Handling in Oblivion was awarded as one of the Most Beautiful Swiss Books of the year 2014 and received a honorary appreciation at the Best Book Design from all over the World competition in Leipzig in February 2015.

The research zine Publishing Anecdotes brings together insights and reflections from thirteen practitioners – both individuals and collectives – across the diverse field of artistic and critical publishing. Each contributor was invited to share a short anecdote from their practice, be it a thought, an image, a memory, or anything they felt relevant.

Contributors include Björn Giesecke, Peter Schmidt (Books People Places), Simon Wahlers (Edition Zweifel), Samuel Bänziger, Rosario Florio, Olivier Hug and Larissa Kasper (Jungle Books), Sabrina Fernández Casas & Patricio Gil Flood (Macaco Press), Paul Soulellis (founder of Queer.Archive.Work), Lauria Joan (Pseudopress), Vida Rucli (Robida), Roland Früh, Eléa Rochat, Léa Gallon, Julien Guazzini, Vincent Chanson, Pablo Arnaud, and Camilla Brenni (Sans Soleil), Freek Lomme (Set Margins’), Jonas von Lenthe (Wirklichkeit Books), and Mio Kojima (Futuress).

The publication was initiated, edited, designed, and published by Roman A. Karrer in August 2024 and marked the end of his research residency at ABA Berlin.

It It has 48 pages measuring 138×190 mm and was Riso-printed by Drucken3000 (Alexander Branczyk & Florian Haberstumpf) in an edition of 100 copies, using Medium Blue and Silver Metallic inks on Clairefontaine Tropheé Rose 80g/m² and Metapaper Rough Warmwhite 90g/m².

Special thanks to: Pro Helvetia, ABA Berlin, Emma Affoua Kouassi

Published since 1994 by Cnap, Graphisme en France is aimed at graphic designers, clients, and students. Each edition explores a theme in graphic design through a variety of perspectives.

This 32nd issue is devoted to the book, a central object in the practice of graphic designers: a source of inspiration, a tool for communication, and a space for experimentation. Through complementary approaches, the collected contributions examine the book in its most minimal forms, its materiality, its modes of circulation, and the uses it inspires.

• Gabriele Čepulytė, researcher and educator, explores the minimal forms of the book and demonstrates how its materiality plays a full role in the production of meaning
• Vincent Tuset-Anrès, graphic designer, publisher, and curator, shares his research on publishing in Japan, spanning production, distribution, and uses
• Jérôme Knebusch, designer, publisher, and lecturer-researcher, reflects on his interest in small-format publications and their power of dissemination

The graphic design for this issue was entrusted to me, Sarah Fenrich , a graduate of the École européenne supérieure d’art de Bretagne (EESAB). In keeping with the theme, I have created a publication that reveals the book’s various sensory dimensions: a perforated, removable cover; a layout that takes into account the diversity of the texts; and a design that is sensitive to both reading and handling.

The typefaces used are Louize, designed by Matthieu Cortat, distributed by 205TF; Venus+ Acier, designed by Jonas A. Renaud, distributed by U+270D; Hiragino Mincho and Hiragino Kaku Gothic by Jiyu-kobo and distributed by Screen Graphic Solutions Co. The cover lettering uses a modified Dot Preschool from Beta Dine.

The book was printed by Média Graphic.

Martin Stoecklin and Melina Wilson of A Language used OT Scholar for a book with works by artist Monia Ben Hamouda. They describe the project as follows:

Path of Totality is the first monograph dedicated to the work of Monia Ben Hamouda (Milan, 1991) and is published on the occasion of her exhibition at Museo Casa Rusca in Locarno, curated by Gioia Dal Molin. Drawing on the metaphor of the total solar eclipse – the “path of totality” is the area on Earth in which this phenomenon can be seen – the book reflects on night, suspension, and the conditions of making art in a time of political and existential uncertainty. Conceived as the “crystallization of a moment,” the publication brings together images and texts in a porous, polyphonic structure. Contributions by Övül Ö. Durmuşoğlu, Beya Othmani, and Sira Pizà expand the project through multiple perspectives, situating Ben Hamouda’s work within Mediterranean, spiritual, and political contexts.

Метод Казана (Metod Kazana, “The Kazan Method”) is a fundamental book on creative thinking and the systematization of the creative process in an age of uncertainty. Written by Oleksandr Tregub – designer and co-founder of the Projector Institute – the book explores how ideas are born within a kazan (“cauldron”), a metaphor for a professional’s accumulated experience and cultural background.

Typographically, the book is a bold statement. While many educational publications rely on a pairing of serif and sans-serif, Metod Kazana uses Zerno exclusively for the entire publication. Designed by Ukrainian type designer Oleh Lishchuk, Zerno handles everything from expressive large-scale headings to dense body text and technical metadata.

The choice of Zerno (which translates to “grain” or “seed”) is highly intentional. It symbolizes the fundamental elements – the seeds of ideas – that fill the kazan. The decision to use Zerno throughout highlights the typeface’s versatility.

The book design and layout were led by Glib Kaporikov (creative director and typesetter), ensuring that the complex hierarchy of the Kazan method—including diagrams, citations, and practical examples—remains legible and aesthetically cohesive through a single-typeface approach.

This book by Nolwenn Maudet explores the emergence of digital design as a distinct field since the second half of the 20th century. While rooted in various design disciplines, digital design is defined by its interactive and programmed nature. At a time when creating digital interfaces can seem reduced to assembling standardized components, the author offers an “archaeology” of the theories that have shaped the interfaces we use today. Each chapter revolves around a key question, highlighting both past and ongoing theoretical debates within the field.

By connecting historical ideas with contemporary issues, the book encourages designers and students to critically reflect on the habits and constraints that guide their work. It emphasizes that interfaces and the language used to describe them are not neutral: they embed political visions and technological imaginaries that deeply influence how we relate to digital environments and, ultimately, how we experience the world.

Éditions deux-cent-cinq used Cosimo and Yorick, both designed by Mathieu Cortat and distributed by 205TF.

Vi Ser Mønstre Overalt. Tekstiltryk som håndværk, tradition og kunstart / We See Patterns Everywhere. Textile Print as Craft, Tradition and Art Form explores the rich tradition and contemporary relevance of hand-printed textiles – both as a living craft and as an artistic practice in constant evolution. The bilingual publication accompanies the exhibition Trykkraft / Printing Power at the Designmuseum Denmark and serves as both a scholarly exploration and an aesthetic experience, and contributes to highlighting the continuing significance of textile printing in Denmark. Featured are eight living Danish female textile artists: Anne Fabricius Møller, Bitten Hegelund, Else Kallesøe, Janne Wendt, Josefina Enevold, Lisbet Friis, Trine Tronhjem and Liv Marie Rømer.

The book was designed by Spine Studio using the typefaces Monopol by Nguyen Gobber for titles and Maligne by Maxitype for running text.

Stepping Softly on the Earth is a research-led exhibition featuring the work of twenty artists, most of them non-Western and Indigenous. Presented at the Northumbria University Gallery at Baltic, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on human relationships with land and territory from decolonial and anti-colonial perspectives. It brings together artistic practices that understand the world as a pluriverse – a reality in which many worlds coexist and support one another, where all beings are interconnected and the separation between humans and nature dissolves.

The works address themes such as ancestral cosmovisions, spirituality, inter-species communication, embodied knowledge, oral traditions, autonomy, mapping and legal frameworks. The exhibition title revisits a passage cited by Indigenous activist, writer and thinker Ailton Krenak in his 2022 book Ancestral Future. Krenak refers to a speech attributed to Chief Seattle (c.1786–1866), in which he says that his people “step softly on the Earth” because they are deeply connected to it, and invites colonisers to teach their children to do the same.

The catalog adopts a graphic language structured around expressive typography and a restrained color palette, which together organize the visual identity of the publication. The central element of the design is an angular, fragmented typography, Backslanted, used for the cover and section titles. Its geometric forms approach drawing as much as writing, suggesting multiple visual traditions while moving away from a neutral or institutional Western typographic language.

The color palette is based mainly on two tones, an earthy red and an intense yellow, applied as gradients across page backgrounds and edges. These fields of color evoke natural elements such as earth, sunlight and atmosphere, and function as visual environments that move through the book, creating continuity between different sections. The materiality of the object also reinforces the project’s conceptual framework: the exposed sewn binding and the earthy-toned cover emphasize the physicality of the book, suggesting a tactile and crafted quality. The texts are set in Gal Gothic, a Brazilian sans-serif typeface with subtle stroke contrast.

This book written by Maurice Darmon and published by the Bordeaux-based publisher 202 éditions is about the films made by Anne-Marie Miéville between 1976 et 2002. It is the first monograph devoted solely to her own work. As Jean-Luc Godard’s partner since the 1970s, her collaborative work with the filmmaker has been more widely distributed and recognized. Designer Paule Palacios-Dalens used Borges (by Loche, PampaType) for all main texts and titles, and Akzidenz-Grotesk (Berthold, 1898) for pagination and some subtitles. The cover titling is set in Punto (by Arne Freytag, Fontador).

Exhibition catalog for Transmergence #04, held at FRAC Alsace, France (translated by the contributor):

Transmergence#04 is an exhibition format developed by FRAC Alsace, which showcases the regional and cross-border art scene while questioning its definition in the face of a globalised world with increased mobility, where time takes the place of geographical distance.

For the fourth consecutive year, FRAC Alsace’s Transmergence format is part of La Regionale, a unique cross-border project bringing together 18 institutions from three countries (Switzerland, Germany and France).

For Transmergence #04, the curators have selected artistic proposals that create a dialogue between art and craftsmanship. The exhibition presents works and new productions by artists of diverse origins who now live or work in the cross-border region.

The catalog is bilingual (French/German) and is printed in four colors with a spot color. French text is printed in black while German text is printed in a Pantone silver.
Thomas Leblond and Audrey Ohlman did the graphic design with EB Ackerhof ​​​​​​ from Électro-bibliothèque. Transmergence #04 was published by Pétrole and FRAC Alsace.

Gaya by Raphaël Verona in use for the exhibition catalog of Impressions Nabies as shown by the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris. Body text is set in Pollen from Eduardo Berliner. Graphic design by Ursula Held.

The exhibition is presented by the National Library as follows (translated):

While the Nabis artists are known for their paintings and decorative arts, their contribution to the field of printmaking is less well known. The Bibliothèque nationale de France is highlighting this aspect of their work in the exhibition Impressions nabies, on display at the Mansart-Pigott Gallery at the Richelieu site. This short-lived movement, which flourished for around ten years (1890–1900), brought together some of the major figures in late 19th-century art (Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard, Maurice Denis, Ker Xavier Roussel, Félix Vallotton, Henri-Gabriel Ibels, Paul Ranson and Aristide Maillol). Using colour lithography and wood engraving, the Nabis created a variety of works inspired by everyday life: artistic prints, posters, illustrations, show programmes and decorative objects. During the Gallica Impressions nabies meeting, we will continue our exploration of this movement using the resources available in Gallica: we will browse through the artists’ printed works, leaf through the books they illustrated and place them in context thanks to the many publications from the period available online.

Homolobby by Krzysztof Tomasik is a vivid narrative that weaves together the lives of a group of men born in the late 19th century, revealing what life was like for homosexual actors in the Second Polish Republic and during the war. The book reveals the backstage of theater, cinema, and cabaret, where themes of non-normative sexuality were subtly conveyed.

The book was designed by Polish book designer Marcin Hernas of studio Tessera. The playful layout combines Ergon for titles and pagination, while the main text is set Dashiell Text.

This is the sixth issue of La petite collection, designed by Bureau Roman Seban. As with every issue, the number is printed on the cover and the colophon on the back cover, typeset in Bertin (variable font), a typeface available from 205TF. The body text is set in Axo by the author, Charles Mazé, available from Abyme.

La petite collection is a series of texts dedicated to writing, typography, and book design, produced entirely by hand (from design to offset printing) within the Association Presse Offset in Paris. Each issue publishes one illustrated text in French. It is available for purchase on Association Presse Offset.

Filip Burno’s book Architektura i elektryczność. 1880–1940. Konstruowanie, doświadczanie, reprezentacja was published by the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. It is a richly illustrated study of the use of electrical energy and artificial lighting in construction.

The the goal of Kuba Maria Mazurkiewicz was to design a publication in harmony with the featured iconography. The monochromatic archival visuals determined the black-and-white, minimalist character of the book, while the yellow, appearing only on the cover, references the glow of the illuminated glass façades and building interiors.

The typeface used throughout the entire book is Pretty by Tekio.

In 2024, the Ministry of Culture of Slovenia issued the Resolution on the National Programme for Culture in Slovenia (Slovenian: Resolucija o nacionalnem programu za kulturo) for the period between 2024 and 2031. It is the main document outlining the program and development goals that the Ministry aims to achieve during this and possible future mandates.

July Type’s typefaces JT Peleton and JT Picolo are used for the catalog to the exhibition Repeat after Me II by Open Group, shown in the Polish Pavilion at the 60th International Art Exhibition, Venice Biennale in 2024. See also the previous post about the audiovisual video installation.

The publication was designed by Janek Bersz of Full Metal Jacket and publsihed by Zachęta Narodowa Galeria Sztuki. It’s available in its bookshop in Warsaw and the official bookshops of La Biennale in Giardini and Arsenale. A pdf can be downloaded from the Polish Pavilion’s website. Made with support from the Berliner Künstlerprogramm des DAAD with funds from the German Federal Foreign Office.

Pictures by Jacopo Salvi, Ewa Mielczarek, and Janek Bersz.

Per vederci chiaro – Gli occhiali e l'inventore inesistente (“Seeing clearly – Glasses and the non-existent inventor”) is an essay published by Nomos Edizioni. It investigates the origins of one of the most common objects in everyday life: glasses. The author, Renzo Dionigi, reconstructs the history of an invention that responded to a need for social and economic progress, revealing its multiple and sometimes controversial origins.

From the history of reading to the first lenses, from frames to the lexicography of the term “eyeglass”, the volume spans centuries of inventions, disputes and symbolic representations. With a preface by Luciano Perondi and Raimonda Riccini , the theme of legibility is intertwined with that of reading tools, while engravings and prints from 1400 to 1700 bring to light what was invisible or forgotten, between utility, art and memory.

The graphic design focuses on a typographic composition rich in detail and peculiarities, enhanced by the characteristics of the Sorella font – designed by Luis Castellón and published by CAST – which recalls the writing of the 18th-century calligrapher Angela Baroni. Scotus Sans, designed by Giulio Galli, Riccardo Olocco and Luciano Perondi, is used for footnotes and a few other minor details.

Richly illustrated and printed in two colors (purple and pink), Tous les dictionnaires sont des monstres (“All dictionaries are monsters”) is a text by Sébastien Dégeilh. It details Paulo de Cantos’ approach through a dictionary that is surprising both in the texts it contains and in the graphic and visual forms used, demonstrating great inventiveness and audacity for the time. Paulo de Cantos’ work remains little known to lovers of graphic design and book arts, despite his iconoclastic, avant-garde, and prolific output.

This is the fifth issue of La petite collection, designed by Roman Seban. As with every issue, the number is printed on the cover, typeset in his own Bertin typeface. The body text is typeset in Kelvin by Thomas Bouville, while the drop caps and quotations are from Tifo by Romain Tronchin. All of these fonts are available from 205TF.

La petite collection is co-published by the Association Presse Offset and the École européenne supérieure d’art de Bretagne (EESAB), site de Lorient, in partnership with type foundry 205TF.