Warja Honegger-Lavater

Infobox Artist
name = Warja Honegger-Lavater
birthname = Warja Lavater
birthdate = September 28, 1913
location = Winterthur, Switzerland
deathdate = May 3, 2007 (aged 93)
deathplace = Zurich, Switzerland
nationality = Swiss
field = Artists' Books
training = Graphic arts
movement = Symbolism

Warja Honegger-Lavater (September 28, 1913 - May 3, 2007) was born in Winterthur, Switzerland. She was a Swiss artist and illustrator noted primarily for working in the artist's books genre by creating accordion fold books that re-tell classic fairy tales with symbols rather than words (or even pictures).cite web|url=http://www.likeyou.com/brigitteweiss/warja_lavater.html|title=Snow White|last=Honegger-Lavater|first=Warja|publisher=Maeght|accessdate=2008-10-01] [cite web|url=http://expositions.bnf.fr/contes/pedago/creation/index.htm|title=Création graphique à la manière de Warja Lavater|accessdate=2008-10-01]

Personal life

Honegger-Lavater spent the first nine years of her life in Moscow and Athens. In 1922, her mother (the author Mary Lavater-Sloman) and father Emil Lavater (an engineer) settled the family back in Wintherthur. After attending High School, Honegger-Lavater studied graphic arts in Zurich from 1931 to 1935 at the "Fachklasse für Grafik an der Kunstgewerbeschule Grafik" (School of Applied Arts). It was here, in 1932, she began studying under Ernst Keller in a class of 28 of which 7 were women. Later in life, Lavater recalled this training:

What we were learning was design, and so we began with the most important thing, drawing. Where do you put a sign in a rectangle? What is the standard solution to this exercise? Should the strongest element be the sign or the drawing? How can both be distinguished at a distance, yet integrated in a composition? [cite book|last=Hollis|first=Richard|title=Swiss graphic design : the origins and growth of an international style, 1920-1965|publisher=Yale University Press|location=New Haven|pages = p. 114|date=2006|edition=1st|isbn=0300106769|oclc=65221958]

Studying in Stockholm, Basel, and Paris, she opened her own studio for applied design in Zurich in 1937 with Gottfried Honegger, her future husband. It was here that Honegger-Lavater embarked on her first profession as a designer of symbols, logos, and trademarks. Among her initial creations were the three keys logo of the Schweizerischen Bankverein (Swiss Bank Corporation)cite book | last = Evamy | first = Michael| title = Logo | publisher = Laurence King Pub. Ltd. | date = 2007 | location = London, U.K. | pages = pp. 304-305 | quote = "The UBS mark was originally created for the Swiss Bank Corporation in 1937 by a Swiss illustrator, Warja Lavater, fresh out of Zürich's School of applied art."] and the logo for the Swiss National Exhibition of 1939.cite book|last=Hollis|first=Richard|title=Swiss graphic design : the origins and growth of an international style, 1920-1965|publisher=Yale University Press|location=New Haven|pages = p. 124|date=2006|edition=1st|isbn=0300106769|oclc=65221958|quote="Although the first prize in the competition for a symbol . . . was won by Herman Eidenbenz, Warja Honegger-Lavater's design was selected for use. The four rings were intended to represent trade, light industry, heavy industry, and agriculture."]

After marrying Honegger in 1940, she bore two daughters: Bettina (1943) and Cornelia (1944).

From 1944 to 1958 she worked extensively with the young person's magazine "Jeunesse" designing the covers, supplying illustrations, and being responsible for typography. [cite web|url=http://www.nieves.ch/catalogue/warja.html|title=Warja Lavaater|publisher=Nieves Catalogue|accessdate=2008-09-20]

Moving to New York in 1958, she began designing scientific illustrations for the publisher Visuals. It was during this early period in New York that Honegger-Lavater became influenced by American street advertising and began to utilize pictograms as graphic representations of linguistic elements in her work. In 1962 she finished her first book, "William Tell", which was published by New York's Museum of Modern Art. This work consisted of a single sheet lithograph, accordion folded, with a legend listing the meanings of the various symbols (e.g., a single blue dot represents William Tell). The story proceeds chronologically as the book unfolds, and told entirely by using the symbols without words. She produced a growing number of similar works throughout the rest of her career.

By 1995 she was creating videos of colors and symbols moving across a screen, set to music.

At the time of her death she was retired and residing outside of Zurich.

Honegger-Lavater was a direct descendent of the Swiss poet and physiognomist Johann Kaspar Lavater.cite journal|last=Solomon|first=Julie|date=November 1994|title=The Faces of Physiognomy: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Johann Caspar Lavater by Ellis Shookman (Review)|journal=South Atlantic Review|publisher=South Atlantic Modern Language Association|volume=59|issue=4|pages=p. 140|issn=0277-335X|oclc=7142213|url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/3201372]

Early work in artists' books

Lavater's 1962 publication of "William Tell" predates Edward Ruscha's book "Twentysix Gasoline Stations" which was published in 1963. [Edward Ruscha Editions, Engberg, Phillpot, Walker Art Center, 1999] Ruscha's book has been cited by some as the first modern artist's book.The Century of Artist's Books, Drucker, Granary, 2004 p11] This claim can now be contested noting that Lavater's work, as well as that of another Swiss-German artist, Dieter Roth, preceded Ruscha.

Starting in 1963, the Paris based publisher Adrien Maeght began publication of a series of her folding books broadly entitled "Imageries". These books consist of classic fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, and Hans Christian Andersen. These were also done as accordion folded books with stories told using symbols rather than written language.

Works

Books

* "William Tell", New York : Junior Council, Museum of Modern Art, 1962 (OCLC OCLC search link|10911288)
* "Sunday Harlem Faith Temple gospel songs : Vorzingen einer Gruppe Handeklatschen Mitzprechers mitzingen Extatisches Himwerfen ohnmacht Tanzen", 1964? (OCLC OCLC search link|11552859)
* "Das hässliche junge Entlein (The ugly duckling)", Basil : Basilius Presse, 1965 (OCLC OCLC search link|11552815).
* "Homo Sapiens ?", Basel, Switzerland : Basilius Presse, ©1965 (OCLC OCLC search link|11557611).
* "Walk, dont walk, attendez, gehe, dont walk, passez, warte, walk, dont", Basel : Basilius Presse, ©1965 (OCLC OCLC search link|11602918).
* "Das Feuer und seine Höhlen (The fire and its caves)", Basil : Basilius-Presse, 1967 (OCLC OCLC search link|74158294)
* "Ramalalup", Basil : Basilius Presse, 1967 (OCLC OCLC search link|12060192)
* "Le non-obéissant. The disobedient. Der Ungehorsame", Basil : Basilius Presse, 1968 (OCLC OCLC search link|2706173)

* "Imageries", (Perrault, Charles,; 1628-1703) Paris : A. Maeght, 1965-1982 (OCLC OCLC search link|18529065)

::Retelling of 6 fairy tales by Charles Perrault in coded images and colors. Each volume is an accordion-fold, printed on one side, individually encased in lucite, all volumes in box slipcase.

::(v. 1). "Le Petit Poucet" -- (v. 2). "Blanche Neige" -- (v. 3). "Le Petit Chaperon Rouge" -- (v. 4). "La fable du Hasard" -- (v. 5). "La Belle au Bois dormant" -- (v. 6). "Cendrillon".

::Also published individually:

::* "Le Petit Poucet", Paris : A. Maeght, 1979 (OCLC OCLC search link|64394985)::* "Blanche Neige", Paris : A. Maeght, 1974 (OCLC OCLC search link|6463880)::* "Le Petit Chaperon Rouge", Paris : A. Maeght, 1965 (OCLC OCLC search link|4461512)::* "La fable du Hasard", Paris : A. Maeght, 1968 (OCLC OCLC search link|11584251)::* "La Belle au Bois dormant", Paris : A. Maeght, 1982 (OCLC OCLC search link|54661715))::* "Cendrillon", Paris : A. Maeght, 1976 (OCLC OCLC search link|7536039)

* "Die Rose und der Laubfrosch: eine Fabel" (The Rose and the Tree frog: a Fable), Zurich : Edition Schlegl, 1978 (OCLC OCLC search link|48193811)
* "Leporello", Paris : [W. Lavater?] , ©1982 (OCLC OCLC search link|9482202)
* "Ergo : un pictogram sur les conséquences de "Je pense donc je suis", Paris : Adrien Maeght, ©1988 (OCLC OCLC search link|19283706)
* "Spectacle: un conte", Paris : A. Maeght, 1990 (OCLC OCLC search link|24798997)
* "Tanabata", Paris : A. Maeght, 1994 (OCLC OCLC search link|33124107)
* "Pictograms", Zurich : Nieves, 2008 (ISBN 978-3-905714-24-1)

Videos

* "Les Imageries", 6 digital animation films, Paris : IRCAM, 1995::*Design : Warja Lavater based on the work of Charles Perrault::*Graphics Production : Mac Guff Ligne::*Composer : Pierre Charvet

Music

* "Liedli für Mutter und Kind für eine Singstimme und Klavier" (co-composed with Gustav Kugler), Zollikon-Zürich :; Sämann-Verlag, 1944 (OCLC OCLC search link|82351484)

Awards

* [http://www.ina.fr/imagina/index.en.html Imagina] 1995 (held by Institut National de l'Audiovisuel) awards for "Les Imageries" (video 1995)
** Pixel-INA award in the Art category
** European award of Media Invest Club
** "meilleure bande son" (best sound track) [cite book|last=Beckett|first=Sandra|title=Recycling Red Riding Hood|publisher=Routledge|location=New York|date=2002|edition=1st|pages=p. 61|isbn=0415930006|oclc=49584099|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=LapMimSid7kC&pg=PA61&lpg=PA61&dq=Prix+Pixel-Ina+1995+Imageries&source=web&ots=3uVk793yx3&sig=iBd3h2BtMHVfIvdIZvuG5shgmAE&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPA61,M1|accessdate=2008-09-20]

Exhibitions

* 1952 - New York, Galerie Wittenborn
* 1952 - Zurich, Galerie 16
* 1962 - Zurich, Galerie Laubli
* 1963 - "Folded Stories", Zurich, [http://www.ziegle.artgalleries.ch/ Galerie Renee Ziegler]
* 1965 - Zurich, Galerie Jurg Bally
* 1968 - Zurich, Buchhandlung-Galerie Robert Krauthammer
* 1973 - Karlsruhe, Badischer Kunstverien
* 1974 - Zurich, Buchhandlung-Galerie Robert Krauthammer
* 1975 - Freiberg, Galerie Mara
* 1976 - Munich, Galerie Jorg Walter Koch
* 1977 - Winterthur, Galerie ge
* 1979 - Bern, Galerie scapa
* 1979 - Zurich, Galerie Maeght
* 1982 - Paris, Galerie Adrien Maeght
* 1983 - Zurich, Galerie Maeght
* 1983 - Moers, Galerie Linie, Stadtbibliothek Moers
* 1984 - Washington, DC, Washington Project for the Arts
* 1984 - Paris, Galerie Maximilien Guiol
* 1984 - Schaffhausen, Mini-Galerie
* 1985 - Paris, Galerie Maximilien Guiol
* 1985 - Tubingen, Buchhandlung Druck und Buch
* 1986 - Aalborg, Nordjyllands Kunstmuseum
* 1987 - Paris, Galerie Maximilien Guiol
* 1988 - Paris, Boutique Paris-Musees, Forum des Halles
* 1988 - Paris, Libraire-Galerie Maeght, Rive Droits
* 1990 - Zurich, Helmhaus
* 1991 - Tubingen, Galerie Druck und Buch
* 1991 - Zurich, [http://www.likeyou.com/brigitteweiss/ Galerie Brigitte Weiss]
* 1991 - "Untitled - 1977 Accordion fold book with acrylic boards in a wood box", New York, [http://www.centerforbookarts.org/archive/bio.asp?artistID=1134 Center for Book Arts]
* 1993 - Tokyo, Maeght Tokyo-Spark Gallery
* 1994 - Winterthur, Kunstmuseum
* 1994 - Toulon, Passage de la Corderie
* 1994 - Geneva, Galerie Equinoxe
* 1994 - Barcelona, Galerie Maeght
* 1995 - Tubingen, Galerie Druck und Buch
* 1995 - Zurich, [http://www.likeyou.com/brigitteweiss/ Galerie Brigitte Weiss]
* 1996 - Frankfurt, Museum fur Kunsthandwerk
* 1996 - Baden, NAC Galerie
* 1996 - Bad Oeynhausen, 4. Marchentage
* 1996 - "Warja Lavater", New York, [http://www.swissinstitute.net/ Swiss Institute]
* 1997 - "Voyage dans le monde des contes", Yverdon-les-Bains, [http://www.yverdon-les-bains.ch/index.php?id=83 Hotel de Ville] , November 16-December 12
* 1998 - "Bilder - Buch - Sommer", Zurich, [http://www.utebarth.com/ Art Forum Ute Barth] , June 19-June 26
* 1999 - Zurich, [http://www.likeyou.com/brigitteweiss/ Galerie Brigitte Weiss]
* 1999 - "Zeichnungen - drawings", Zurich, [http://www.likeyou.com/brigitteweiss/ Galerie Brigitte Weiss] , January 15-February 27
* 1999 - "Nina Bovasso ... Christina Zurfluh", Zurich, [http://www.likeyou.com/brigitteweiss/ Galerie Brigitte Weiss] , January 15-February 27
* 1999 - "Warja Lavater. Neue Arbeiten und Unikate", Zurich, [http://www.likeyou.com/brigitteweiss/ Galerie Brigitte Weiss] , May 7-June 26
* 2000 - "New York - Zurich", Zurich, [http://www.utebarth.com/ Art Forum Ute Barth] , May 24-June 23
* 2001 - "Untitled - Gift of 16 books published between 1962 and 1971", Portland, Oregon, Multnomah County Library, May 15-June 30
* 2006 - "Preview VII", Zurich, [http://www.likeyou.com/brigitteweiss/ Galerie Brigitte Weiss] , May 12-July 8
* 2007 - "Preview VIII", Zurich, [http://www.likeyou.com/brigitteweiss/ Galerie Brigitte Weiss] , March 16-May 5

Sources

* [http://www.ricochet-jeunes.org/auteur.asp?id=705 Biography (French Language)]
* [http://www.sikart.ch/page.php?pid=4&recnr=4001082 Bibliography, exhibitions, and Biography (German Language)] via SIKART
* [http://www.likeyou.com/brigitteweiss/warja_lavater_bio.pdf Biography (German Language)] via Galerie Brigitte Weiss
* Beckett, Sandra L. "Artists' books for a cross-audience - Warja Lavater" IN "Studies in children's literature, 1500-2000", Dublin ; Portland, OR : Four Courts, 2004, pp. 163-166 (OCLC OCLC search link|56361783)
* Carmin, Jim. " [http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byform/mailing-lists/bookarts/2001/05/msg00127.html Warja Honegger-Lavater exhibition (Multnomah County Library] )" IN [e-mail], Portland, OR, May 12, 2001
* Kushner, Robert. "Review of Exhibitions - Warja Lavater at the Swiss Institute" IN "Art in America" vol. 85, no. 4 (April 1997), p. 122
* Lavater, Warja. "Perception: When Signs Start to Communicate" IN "The Faces of physiognomy : interdisciplinary approaches to Johann Caspar Lavater". Edited by Ellis Shookman. Columbia, SC : Camden House, 1993. pp. 182-187. (OCLC OCLC search link|28669014)
* Moholy, Lucia. "Current and Forthcoming Exhibitions - Switzerland" IN "Burlington Magazine" vol. 105, no. 719 (February 1963), p. 85
* [http://www.sikart.ch/page.php?lang=en Swiss Institute for Art Research] (search for Artist: Lavater)
* [http://www.ircam.fr/ IRCAM] (search for single term: Lavater)
* Plath, Monika and Richter, Karen. "Die Bildwelten der Warja Lavater "Schneewittchen" : Modelle und Materialien für den Literaturunterricht". Baltmannsweiler : Schneider-Verl. Hohengehren, 2006. (OCLC OCLC search link|71345203)

External links

* [http://worldcat.org/search?q=au%3AWarja+Honegger-Lavater&qt=hot_author OCLC Worldcat (Honegger-Lavater as author search)]
* [http://www.maeght.com/editions/recherche_resultat.asp?recherche=Warja%20Lavater Lithographic works at Maeght Editions (Paris)]
* [http://www.likeyou.com/brigitteweiss/warja_lavater.html Snow White (1998)]
* [http://expositions.bnf.fr/contes/pedago/creation/index.htm Création graphique à la manière de Warja Lavater] (Graphic creation in the style of Warja Lavater)
* [http://digilab.browardlibrary.org/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=any&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=/Fontaneda&CISOBOX1=Lavater Broward County Digital Collections: "Blanche Neige", "Cendrillon", "Guillame Tell", "Kaguyahima"]

References