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The first sentence of this book reads: “The poster world is in crisis.” It was written by Angelina Lippert, Chief Curator and Director of Content at Poster House in New York City, the first museum in the United States dedicated to the art and history of the poster. But is the poster truly in crisis?
Dafi Kühne is one of Switzerland’s foremost poster designers, whose bold and diverse work seamlessly blends traditional production tools with modern design processes. While his posters are printed on presses from the 1960s, they defy the typical aesthetic of letterpress prints. Instead, his work connects with the rich history of letterpress production while challenging the boundaries of long-established graphic and typographic techniques. Using analog printing presses, computer software, laser cutters, and freshly cast hot-metal type, Kühne creates wildly inventive, large-format posters.
Kühne’s first monograph with Lars Müller Publishers, True Print, introduced readers to his work from 2009 to 2016. Poster Cult delves deeper into the processes, background, and context of his more recent poster designs.
Looking at the book, it’s hard to believe that the poster is in crisis. The introduction is, of course, a celebration of the medium, but it also highlights the evolving media landscape. While poster art itself is not in crisis, the poster as a mainstream medium certainly is.
“As posters sit on the meeting point of art, design, ephemera, and commerce, not easily categorized into any single genre, those that make them embody a similar enigma. Dafi is as much an artist as he is a designer, an artisan, a craftsman, an entrepreneur, and an educator. His work encompasses the breadth of descriptions, reflecting the man himself—constantly evolving and creating new visual languages to communicate to the world.”
This book is a must-have for anyone who loves posters, appreciates craftsmanship, and values exceptional design—a true collector’s piece for design enthusiasts.
Lars Müller Publishers (pub.), Dafi Kühne (concept & design), 163 pages, 24 × 30 cm, English, ISBN: 978-3-03778-777-9
Buy it here.
