Alberto Giacometti
sculptures
and their photographs
by Peter Lindberg

Alberto Giacometti sculptures by Peter Lindberg

Alberto Giacometti sculptures by Peter Lindberg

Book

In 2016, Peter Lindbergh was invited to photograph bronzes and plasters by Giacometti held in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich — the largest and most important collection of Giacometti works in a museum.

Gagosian exhibition ‘Substance and Shadow: Alberto Giacometti sculptures and their photographs by Peter Lindberg’ brings together sculptures by Giacometti, dating from 1919 to 1965, with photographs by Peter Lindbergh. Through his work, Giacometti gave permanence to existence. In their stark and tenebrous realism, Lindbergh’s black and white photographs provide fresh perspectives on a titan of twentieth-century art. 

The studio was commissioned to create a catalogue for the exhibition. We wanted the design to reflect this dynamic duality and create a sense of curiosity for the multiple views revealed in the two bodies of work. Lindbergh’s atmospheric, lyrical images wrap around the surface and planes of the book like shadows. The see-through bible paper and the use of fold-outs create a sensory interest and sense of discovery. Bright colour weaves in and out between pages to contrast the images and make them more energetic. These design decisions emphasise Giacometti’s perception of his work, which he perceived not as finished pieces but rather as an ongoing process. We chose a modern grotesque typeface with a rugged quality in resonance with the material quality of the sculpture, in particular, the edges.  

Publisher: Gagosian
Contributor: Catherine Grenier, Peter Lindbergh

2017