i often try to figure out what is going on, how does he do it? i think this has something to do with his visceral response to the subject, be it furniture, work of art or a photograph of weeping women. he is all empathy and then he proceeds to use his intelligence and craft to manifest these feelings for the viewer, to give them a visual presence.
—american graphic designer louis danziger on monguzzi's work, los angeles 1998



disobey the brief

Right after the Irpinia earthquake in 1980, Monguzzi was asked by the city of Milan to create a poster to inspire help for the victims. It was agreed that Monguzzi would make a strictly typographical black-and-white diptych that would include a poem by Franco Fortini and a second brief text. Monguzzi, however, made a single poster, using a photographic image of two mourning women. When he presented his work the next day, the audience—more than 20 politicians—remained silent for a long time. The commission accepted Monguzzi’s new solution: it was indeed more powerful.

design with Readymag

editor-in-chief
diana kasay

editor
zhdan philippov

creative director
anton herasymenko

layout designer and art director
stas aki

issue designer
vasily podryadchikov

text author
polina grinberg

photo editor
katya furceva

content manager
tsvetelina miteva

 

stories. bruno monguzzi