2024 marked the 30th anniversary issue of Graphisme en France, a journal made by CNAP (Centre National des Arts Plastiques). Attached to the French Ministry of Culture in Paris, Cnap’s supports and promotes contemporary creation in all areas of the visual arts. This edition’s designer is Louise Garric, a graphic designer interested in exploring the importance of materiality in printed graphic objects and the ways they are produced, through format, paper, printing and finishing. In 2024, Garric met Véronique Marrier, head of graphic design at CNAP, and the collaboration began.
Garric imagined a ‘joyful object’ to celebrate the anniversary in which colour would play a pivotal role. The main section, printed on uncoated Arena Bulk, includes contributions by practitioners and educators Olivier Huz, Étienne Mineur and Vivien Philizot, who provide an in-depth analysis of contemporary issues in graphic design and typography.
Each contribution was printed in a different specific Pantone colour; the cover combines all three colours. Graphisme en France 30 also features a calendar of annual events for CNAP, printed in full colour on Symbol Freelife, which has a gloss texture. Garric says, ‘I was particularly interested in the contrast provided by the use of these two papers, allowing me to differentiate the contributions from the calendar.’ For printing, the team chose Stipa in Montreuil.
Garric used the typeface Pachinko (A is for fonts) by Émilie Rigaud. She says the typography on the cover and opening pages was inspired by concrete poetry and ‘ascii art’, which opened up many possibilities for the composition and layout.
Papers:
Arena Bulk natural
Symbol Freelife gloss