Catherine de Smet – Paris Colours – Gérard Ifert Ektachromes 1953-1954

It is no wonder that the colourful shopfronts in 1950s Paris caught Gérard Ifert’s eye. The young Swiss designer was drawn to this anonymous street art, and he would capture these geometrical and colourful compositions during long walks through the city with his camera in hand. He considered them vernacular equivalents of Swiss Concrete painting. This book presents a surprising series of Ifert’s photographs, vividly bringing the art form to life. In addition, it tells of a designer at the outset of his career, who questions relationships between art and design by examining the transformation of urban landscapes and appreciating the aesthetics of everyday life.