Maximage
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Maximage is an award-winning design studio based in Switzerland.
It offers a large area of expertise including visual identities, digital solutions, books, posters, typefaces, artworks and consultancy. In its practice, tools and technology are constantly challenged, introducing a reflection on contemporary production processes. Over the years the studio has collaborated with institutions and clients in Switzerland and abroad. Long-term collaborations include art direction for the Zurich-based publishing house Edition Patrick Frey and the development of campaigns for Arsenic–Contemporary Peforming Arts Center.

Parallel to its work, Maximage offers numerous workshops and lectures at Swiss and international universities. Members of the studio regularly teach at HEAD in Geneva, ZHDK in Zurich, as well as ECAL in Lausanne, where they conducted a research project on printing technologies, which resulted in the creation of Color Library. Maximage also manages the type design platform Maxitype that offers retail and bespoke typefaces and encourages research and development in typography.

The work of Maximage received several awards from the Swiss Federal Office of Culture in recognition to their commitment to the field. In 2020, the studio was honoured the Jan Tschichold Award.

Contact us

Maximage | Maxitype Sàrl
Rue Fendt 10
1201 Genève
Switzerland

+41 (0)22 910 47 48

Team

David Keshavjee (Co-Founder)
Julien Tavelli (Co-Founder)
Daniel Haettenschwiller
Guy Meldem

Awards

2022

100 Beste Plakate

2022

INTL, International Poster Competition

2021

100 Beste Plakate

2021

The Most Beautiful Swiss Books

2020

100 Beste Plakate

2020

Jan Tschichold Award

2019

100 Beste Plakate

2018

The Most Beautiful Swiss Books

2016

The Most Beautiful Swiss Books

2014

Swiss Design Awards

2013

The Most Beautiful Swiss Books

2013

Swiss Design Awards

2011

The Most Beautiful Swiss Books

2011

Swiss Design Awards

2009

Swiss Design Awards

Exhibitions

2022

Ravisius Textor, Nevers

2020

Helmhaus, Zurich

2018

Moravká Galerie, Brno

2017

Museum für Gestaltung, Zurich

2017

Tallin Art Hall, Tallinn

2016

Cooper Union, New York

2016

Umlaut, London

2015

Museum für Gestaltung, Zurich

2014

Archiv, Zurich

2014

Samson Paper Gallery, Seoul

2014

Station, Beirut

2014

Weltformat 14 Plakatfestival, Lucern

2014

Istituto svizzero di Roma, Rome

2013

Marbriers 4, Geneva

2013

Galerie Kamm, Berlin

2013

G/P Gallery, Tokyo

2012

Museum für Gestaltung, Zurich

2011

Festival international de l’affiche, Chaumont

2011

Centre d’art contemporain, Geneva

2010

Milieu Galerie, Bern

2010

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston

2009

China International Poster Biennal, Shanghai

2009

EPFL/École polytechnique fédérale, Lausanne

2008

Designhuis, Eindhoven

Lectures

2023

Princeton University, New Jersey

2023

REDO, Prishtina

2023

Further Reading, Fachhochschule Potsdam

2022

Master Type Design ECAL, Lausanne

2022

Université Paris 8 Vincennes – Saint-Denis, Paris

2019

Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, Dundee

2018

International Biennal of Graphic Design, Brno

2018

Museum für Gestaltung, Zurich

2017

La Cambre, Brussels

2017

Fahrenheit 39, Ravenna

2016

Centre Culturel Suisse, Paris

2015

Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam

2014

Sitterwerk Kunstbibliothek, St. Gallen

2014

Grafill, Oslo

2014

Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Zurich

2014

Station, Beirut

2013

Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt am Main

2013

Festival international de l’affiche, Chaumont

2012

École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts, Lyon

2011

Amsterdam Art Book Fair, Amsterdam

2009

École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne

Workshops

2021

Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam

2019

Haute école d’art et de design, Genève

2018

Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst, Leipzig

2018

École européenne supérieure d’art de Bretagne, Rennes

2018

Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam

2017

La Cambre, Brussels

2017

Fahrenheit 39, Ravenna

2016

Istituto Svizzero di Roma, Milan

2015

Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, Zurich

2015

Station, Beirut

2014

Power Station of Arts, Shanghai

2012

Swissnex, San Francisco

2010

Staatliche Hochschule für Gestaltung, Karlsruhe

Research Projects

2017

Workflow: Research Project on Printed Matter
ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne

2014

Studio Roma: Transdisciplinary Research Program
Istituto Svizzero di Roma

2009

Typographer: New Technologies and Type Design
ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne

Employment

There are currently no vacancies for interns or freelancers.
Unfortunately we are not able to respond to emails regarding internships.
Any open position will be communicated here and/or on social networks.

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Photographic reproductions by Daniel Aires. Coding by Tristan Bagot.
Typeface by Alexis Hominal. © 2020–2023, All rights reserved by Maxitype Sàrl and the authors.

Emilie Ding – DRY - © Maximage
Emilie Ding – DRY - © Maximage
Emilie Ding – DRY - © Maximage
Emilie Ding – DRY - © Maximage
Emilie Ding – DRY - © Maximage
Emilie Ding – DRY - © Maximage
Emilie Ding – DRY - © Maximage
Emilie Ding – DRY - © Maximage
Emilie Ding – DRY - © Maximage
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Emilie Ding has been experimenting for several years with the geometric patterns of architecture. With her compositions on paper and her sculptures, she creates optical effects and disturbs the physical sensations of the spectator. Crosses, wefts, metal, concrete and oil appear as the artist’s favourite forms and materials. Her work has been exhibited at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris and at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MAMCO) in Geneva.

The works of Emilie Ding, presented in this publication, were created for the residency and exhibition DRY, with Stephen O’Malley, in October 2015 at LiveInYourHead, Geneva. A special printing process has been used to achieve a very intense black on uncoated paper.

Project

Emilie Ding – Dry

Type

Books

Client

HEAD – Genève, Haute école d’art et de design

Authors

Yann Chataigné, Emilie Ding

Photography

Baptiste Coulon, Raphaëlle Mueller

Year

2019

Location

Geneva

MODELO – Maxitype - © Maximage
MODELO – Maxitype - © Maximage
MODELO – Maxitype - © Maximage
MODELO – Maxitype - © Maximage
MODELO – Maxitype - © Maximage
MODELO – Maxitype - © Maximage
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MODELO is a free font released by Maximage on the occasion of the Jan Tschichold Award 2020, and published on maxitype.com. The font is inspired by constructivist typefaces, early archetypes, and discussions about «Die Neue Typographie», published in 1928. Accompanying the typeface, a type specimen was created by Marietta Eugster. This booklet is overprinted on the first 16-pages of «The Most Beautiful Swiss Books 2019» catalogue, with silver and red inks.

Project

MODELO – maxitype.com

Type

Typefaces

Type Specimen

Marietta Eugster Studio

Type mastering

Chi-Long Trieu

Web development

Jai Sandhu

Year

2020

Weltformat – Edition 2019 - © Maximage
Weltformat – Edition 2019 - © Maximage
Weltformat – Edition 2019 - © Maximage
Weltformat – Edition 2019 - © Maximage
Weltformat – Edition 2019 - © Maximage
Weltformat – Edition 2019 - © Maximage
Weltformat – Edition 2019 - © Maximage
Weltformat – Edition 2019 - © Maximage
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For 2019’s festival edition on Tools & Rules and the festival poster, Maximage have created a digital tool. Together with Milk Interactive, the developers of the Weltformat app, the studio has enhanced the festival application to turn the public space into a festival poster and complete the printed placard with typography. Maximage presented the project within the framework of an exhibition.

Read more:
«Framed reality» by Jonas Berthod, article for Weltformat published in Poster Tribune 11, 2019

Project

Weltformat – Edition 2019

Type

Identities, Digital

Development

Milk Interactive

Year

2019

Location

Lucern

Mihai Barabancea – Falling on Blades - © Maximage
Mihai Barabancea – Falling on Blades - © Maximage
Mihai Barabancea – Falling on Blades - © Maximage
Mihai Barabancea – Falling on Blades - © Maximage
Mihai Barabancea – Falling on Blades - © Maximage
Mihai Barabancea – Falling on Blades - © Maximage
Mihai Barabancea – Falling on Blades - © Maximage
Mihai Barabancea – Falling on Blades - © Maximage
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To “accidentally fall on a blade thirteen times” is a sardonic–and rather poetic–way of saying to get stabbed. “It doesn’t always kill you, but it always hurts. And still you’ve got to “roll with the punches” and keep going. I find this ability to roll with the punches, to “take the pain” and adapt to circumstances, in my subjects: gypsies, beggars, crooks, vagabonds, underdogs, conmen, buskers and various shady characters in Romania and Moldova. My object is not to exploit problem-ridden post-communist Romania for voyeuristic purposes. I’m not an indifferent observer, but one who tries hard to give these people the freedom they need to portray themselves on camera—and to bring about necessary changes themselves in the social stereotypes still assigned to them.” (Mihai Barabancea)

Barabancea uses the camera as a tool to interact with his subjects. But instead of staging picturesque portraits, he zeroes in on moments of ruthless rawness and keen poignancy.

Project

Mihai Barabancea – Falling on Blades

Type

Books

Client

Edition Patrick Frey

Editors

Christian M. Schweizer, Patrick Frey

Author

Mihai Barabancea

Year

2020

Location

Zurich

Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye - © Maximage
Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye - © Maximage
Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye - © Maximage
Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye - © Maximage
Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye - © Maximage
Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye - © Maximage
Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye - © Maximage
Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye - © Maximage
Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye - © Maximage
Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye - © Maximage
Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye - © Maximage
Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye - © Maximage
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In 1979 Catherine Ceresole and her husband Nicolas moved to New York, where he was to begin training as an audio engineer. In truth, however, the couple went there because they were captivated by the city’s underground music scene. They soon became friendly with a number of musicians who Catherine began to photograph at concerts and in intimate settings. The result was a unique photographic documentary of the New York punk, no-wave and avant-garde music scene during its heyday. With her keen eye for dramatic moments, she captured them all on film: Sonic Youth, Lydia Lunch, Glenn Branca, Arto Lindsay, Christian Marclay, the Beastie Boys and many others. After they returned to Switzerland, Catherine Ceresole continued to photograph musicians and their bands—with an unfailing ear and keen eye. The book is a visual music history of the last decades, presenting the work of this unique photographer to a broad public for the first time.

Project

Catherine Ceresole – Beauty Lies in the Eye

Type

Books

Client

Edition Patrick Frey

Editors

Patrick Frey, Martin Jäggi

Authors

Rhys Chatham, Alan Licht, Lee Ronaldo, Thurston Moore, Christian Marclay, Mark Cunningham, Emmanuel Grandjean, Catherine Ceresole, Francis Baudevin, Nicolas Ceresole

Photography

Catherine Ceresole

Year

2013

Location

Zurich

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