May 2024
Art Direction
Editorial Design
Print Typography
Indesign – Photoshop
About
Design of a cover and a three-spread editorial feature dedicated to the “NOIR & BLANC” photography exhibition at the BnF, created for the contemporary art publication Crash Magazine.
Concept & experience
Conceived around the exhibition “NOIR & BLANC: An Aesthetic of Photography,” this editorial series is rooted in the principles of the International Typographic Style (Swiss Style). This approach prioritizes geometric precision and radical minimalism to elevate the photographic work without overwhelming it. The layout is built on a structured modular grid designed to create spatial tension across each spread. The composition plays on bold scale contrasts, where archival photography engages with generous white space and rhythmic text columns. This visual dynamic is driven by the interplay of contrasting typefaces, balancing the expressive character of Gabriella and Dazzle against the crisp readability of Halogen and Quicksand. A calibrated balance that delivers clear typographic hierarchy while honoring the avant-garde spirit of Crash’s editorial identity.
Creative Process
This editorial project stemmed from a desire to move beyond a conventional exhibition catalog, turning the magazine into a standalone visual object. The initial phase focused on developing a preliminary framework to channel Crash’s raw, unfiltered identity: pronounced film grain, tight crops, and daring typography. The boards shown below reveal the moodboard and early visual research that steered the direction. This curation of archival references, high-contrast imagery, and radical type treatments captured the publication’s core energy prior to editorial layout. The technical challenge lay in handling black-and-white tonal depth. Prepress contrast optimization delivers rich, deep blacks, while the asymmetrical layout guides the reader’s eye intuitively through works by masters such as Mario Giacomelli and Valérie Belin.
