Rosmarie Tissi

   Rosmarie Tissi is a distinguished Swiss graphic designer known for her innovative and influential work in the field of design. Born in 1937, in Switzerland, Rosemarie Tissi has made noteworthy contributions to graphic design through her unmatched approach and overall creative vision. Rosmarie Tissi is esteemed due to her use of geometric shapes, bold colors, and playful, yet structured, methods to design. Her pieces of work often challenge traditional design “norms”, blending order with creativity in a method that is both visually striking and intellectually engaging. Tissi’s designs span various mediums, including posters, book covers, corporate identities, and so much more. 

Schweizer Plakate 1996

    “Schweizer Plakate 1996” is an original piece that exemplifies the principles of the era of postmodern graphic design. This particular poster is significant due to its eclectic and vibrant aesthetic, combining various bold color palettes and typography styles to establish a visually fascinating composition. Rosmarie Tissi uses an engaging and creative arrangement of imagery and text, incorporating asymmetry and unexpected contrast that move away from conventional design elements. The use of geometric aspects, such as shapes, in addition to dynamic layouts, reflects her innovative approach to design. Her approach is rooted in the Swiss design tradition, but consistently shifts from its rigid grid systems and minimalist tendencies. This piece of work is proof to the postmodern time period's welcoming of complexity and the blending of differing cultural references.

Graphis

    In Tissi’s cover piece, “Graphis”, created in 1980, the eccentric geometric shapes of the letters she uses are impaled on grids to engage the viewer with their intentional three-dimensional quality. The letters' strong, angular shapes create a fluid relationship between rigidity and fluidity against the background of delicate lines and carefully placed grids. This contrast is typical of postmodern design, which intentionally balances the organic experimentation of subsequent movements with the strict formality of modernist design ideals. This design is yet another example of the style that Tissi consistently establishes in all of her works, highlighting the use of geometric shapes, bright and bold color choices, and carefully chosen aspects to complete a piece. Through pushing the limits of typography and layout design, and influencing the postmodern landscape's transition from functionalism to expressive visual communication, Tissi's artwork redefined the field of design in the 1980s and generations to come.     

World City Expo Tokyo 96

    Rosmarie Tissi’s piece of design titled, “World City Expo Tokyo 96” was created in 1996, with the intention to create a poster campaign to draw attention to the proposed model city on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay. Surprisingly, Tissi found it difficult at first to develop a poster idea for a city that didn’t exist yet. It wasn’t until she took inspiration from a window in the “Schipfe studio”, looking out onto a river to start to establish her idea. The pieces started to fall into place as the outline of the imaginary city and the reflection of lights would connect together to create the guidelines that the font style and colors used would infuse together seamlessly. The postmodern era's acceptance of artistic experimentation, lighthearted wit, and the merging of various cultural influences is reflected in Tissi's "World City of Expo Tokyo 96", impacting and improving the elements of fundamental design pieces.