Parallel-Parallel is a gallery of works by graphic designers that
a) have been postponed indefinitely,
b) will never be realized or published,
c) were published for an event that will never take place because of this damn virus.

We believe that graphic design plays with potential realities and with this current crisis we want to see what has been left, on pause, in your hands.

If you are a graphic designer and have been working on a project that fits this description please reach out to us via:
email@parallel-parallel.com

We are looking forward to hearing from you,
your fellow designers,
Dorothee Dähler & Yeliz Secerli

PS: This website is programmed by Quentin Creuzet!

Parallel-Parallel is a gallery of works by graphic designers that
a) have been postponed indefinitely,
b) will never be realized or published,
c) were published for an event that will never take place because of this damn virus.

We believe that graphic design plays with potential realities and with this current crisis we want to see what has been left, on pause, in your hands.

If you are a graphic designer and have been working on a project that fits this description please reach out to us via:
email@parallel-parallel.com

We are looking forward to hearing from you,
your fellow designers,
Dorothee Dähler & Yeliz Secerli

PS: This website is programmed by Quentin Creuzet!

Weltformat Magazine

Weltformat is an annual graphic design festival which takes place in Lucerne (CH). It was one of the rare events that were realized despite the virus in 2020. The newly launched Welformat magazine offers background information, this year’s theme was “Not (Yet) Canceled.” Sound familiar? The essays and projects were manifested, initiated and kick-started because of the pandemic. Read thoroughly, flip slowly, and enjoy a surprise parallel appearance in the end.
Buy it here

Intimations: Six Essays by Zadie Smith

We finally have our reward (thank you COVID19!) with Intimations, a collection of essays that tells us exactly what Zadie Smith has been thinking all this time! She walks us through her personal experience of the pandemic. She writes as a coping mechanism, as a place to hide. She looks into herself, then her people, and the people outside. She writes about the city she lives, loves and leaves (New York), and the rotten roots of the country and its ongoing bad behavior. When you finish it, you feel like you’ve undergone heart surgery; the heart aches but you’ve been given a second chance to live life with a new set of priorities.
Buy it here

What The Great Pandemic Novels Teach Us

In this article, Orhan Pamuk demonstrates the remarkably consistent ways in which humans throughout history have responded to fear. After extensive research for his new novel, Pamuk takes us on a journey through many of the most enjoyable pandemics in history; both fictional and true. Following extensive research for his new novel, Pamuk guides us through both fictional and true accounts of some of the most enjoyable pandemics in history!
Read it here

What Are Parallel Universes?

In this unusual interview, Fred Alan Wolf, quantum physics specialist explains the concept of parallel universes so that even the interviewer begins to understand it! Wolf says that quantum physics explains many facts of physical life. Yet it is still a mystery to most experts which isn’t very reassuring. Perhaps they have it all figured out in another universe.
Read it here

Parallel Cards by Ryan Gander & Europa

Ryan Gander isn’t just the joker in the pack.
Look behind the poker-faced humor of these parallel cards (playing cards where both sides are the front) and you realize there is more depth to the concept. His perception of playing cards has taken on a journey of its own since he was a child and the aesthetics of their usage within this deck opens up a universe of new possibilities.
Get them here

The Third Policeman

In this essay, Ted Gioia explores (and delights in!) The Third Policeman—a novel by Flann O’Brien (the pen name of Irish author Brian O’Nolan). This surrealist crime novel, now regarded as a literary classic, remained unpublished until 1967, one year after his death (nobody appears to have made a crime novel out of this fact!) “A book that starts out with overtones of Crime and Punishment, says Giola, “soon takes on a flavor more akin to Alice in Wonderland.” Incidentally, you’ll be hard pushed to find a more enjoyable book cover design!
More here

Kuki Shūzō : Parallel Lines

A joy-read on Iki (粋/いき), a Japanese aesthetical concept which translates roughly as chic or stylish, but means so much more. The word was used in 19th-century Japan to define the endless charm of the geisha. Design is crucial for the manifestation of iki. These lines on parallel lines are drawn from the fourth chapter of Kuki Shūzō’s 1930 book Reflections on Japanese Taste —The Structure of iki (Tokyo: IwanamiShoten, 1930), brought to you by the Serving Library.
Download here

Weltformat Magazine

Weltformat is an annual graphic design festival which takes place in Lucerne (CH). It was one of the rare events that were realized despite the virus in 2020. The newly launched Welformat magazine offers background information, this year’s theme was “Not (Yet) Canceled.” Sound familiar? The essays and projects were manifested, initiated and kick-started because of the pandemic. Read thoroughly, flip slowly, and enjoy a surprise parallel appearance in the end.
Buy it here

Intimations: Six Essays by Zadie Smith

We finally have our reward (thank you COVID19!) with Intimations, a collection of essays that tells us exactly what Zadie Smith has been thinking all this time! She walks us through her personal experience of the pandemic. She writes as a coping mechanism, as a place to hide. She looks into herself, then her people, and the people outside. She writes about the city she lives, loves and leaves (New York), and the rotten roots of the country and its ongoing bad behavior. When you finish it, you feel like you’ve undergone heart surgery; the heart aches but you’ve been given a second chance to live life with a new set of priorities.
Buy it here

What The Great Pandemic Novels Teach Us

In this article, Orhan Pamuk demonstrates the remarkably consistent ways in which humans throughout history have responded to fear. After extensive research for his new novel, Pamuk takes us on a journey through many of the most enjoyable pandemics in history; both fictional and true. Following extensive research for his new novel, Pamuk guides us through both fictional and true accounts of some of the most enjoyable pandemics in history!
Read it here

What Are Parallel Universes?

In this unusual interview, Fred Alan Wolf, quantum physics specialist explains the concept of parallel universes so that even the interviewer begins to understand it! Wolf says that quantum physics explains many facts of physical life. Yet it is still a mystery to most experts which isn’t very reassuring. Perhaps they have it all figured out in another universe.
Read it here

Parallel Cards by Ryan Gander & Europa

Ryan Gander isn’t just the joker in the pack.
Look behind the poker-faced humor of these parallel cards (playing cards where both sides are the front) and you realize there is more depth to the concept. His perception of playing cards has taken on a journey of its own since he was a child and the aesthetics of their usage within this deck opens up a universe of new possibilities.
Get them here

The Third Policeman

In this essay, Ted Gioia explores (and delights in!) The Third Policeman—a novel by Flann O’Brien (the pen name of Irish author Brian O’Nolan). This surrealist crime novel, now regarded as a literary classic, remained unpublished until 1967, one year after his death (nobody appears to have made a crime novel out of this fact!) “A book that starts out with overtones of Crime and Punishment, says Giola, “soon takes on a flavor more akin to Alice in Wonderland.” Incidentally, you’ll be hard pushed to find a more enjoyable book cover design!
More here

Kuki Shūzō : Parallel Lines

A joy-read on Iki (粋/いき), a Japanese aesthetical concept which translates roughly as chic or stylish, but means so much more. The word was used in 19th-century Japan to define the endless charm of the geisha. Design is crucial for the manifestation of iki. These lines on parallel lines are drawn from the fourth chapter of Kuki Shūzō’s 1930 book Reflections on Japanese Taste —The Structure of iki (Tokyo: IwanamiShoten, 1930), brought to you by the Serving Library.
Download here

Parallel-Parallel
Opening : June 3rd, 18:30pm at The ÖFF (St. Jakobstrasse 54)
Lecture: June 4th, 16:00
OffShore Studio’s Isabel Seiffert, Turbo’s Mothanna Hussein and Stoecklin & Wilson’s Melina Wilson will be giving presentations about their ‘ghost’ works. The lectures will be presented in English.
Ortolan: June 11th,16:00
Kaj Lehmann and Nicolas Schaltegger will run «Ortolan», a pop-up bar with special cocktails

After two years of collecting projects, and showcasing them online, Parallel-Parallel became an in person exhibition. By showing a selection of works from the website, some produced and some not (drawn directly on the wall) we aimed to examine the different states of the graphic design practice, in other words, the process of materialization of the design object. How do we talk about and present the ‘ghost’ works that never left our computers or that remained in our minds?

Read more
We are grateful for everyone who came to visit, who gave us their incredible space (Matthias Wyler and André Rothfuchs from Studio Sirup), who helped us install and draw (Coline Houtot), who wrote our introduction text (Andrea Salerno), who made ghost stickers for us (Experimental Jetset), who recorded our voice labels (Rhona Mühlebach), who shared so candidly and gracefully their ghost projects (Isabel Seifert, Melina Wilson), who made fantastic cocktails for our Finissage (Kaj Lehmann, Nicolas Schaltegger), while (@_thisislookah, @alpha_mi_, Flo Olomski) played the best music, who hosted us in their flat (Raphael Schoen), and of course all the designers who have been part of Parallel-Parallel. Looking forward to the parallel futures. 👻
Ludwig Leo
Ludwig Leo
Ludwig Leo
Ludwig Leo

The Circulation Tank 2 (Umlauftank 2 1967–1974) is a heritage protected Berlin landmark built by German architect Ludwig Leo (1924–2012). The iconic building is a laboratory—a testing ground for flow experiments, for modes of architectural expression and now since its restoration for how to deal with recent monuments. The utopian planning approach of the Umlauftank 2 constitutes a synthesis of form and function, of creative collaboration and minimalist structure, of scientific research and expressive appearance.

The book design represents the architecture’s spirit. It aims at communicating the social relevance of heritage protection to a broader public. Re-interpreting design elements from the original building, the book brings together historic and poetic, documentary and critical perspectives on a rare architecture design approach. There was supposed to be a book launch in March 2020. Because of Covid it was canceled. But luckily we could publish this book later 2021.

Designer(s):
Siyu Mao, Berlin (DE)
Photography: Nora Heinisch, Berlin (DE)
Client:
Wuestenrot Foundation, Ludwigsburg (DE)
Berner Design Stiftung
Berner Design Stiftung

The poster announces the annual exhibition of funded design projects of the Canton of Bern. The exhibition had to be cancelled very shortly before the opening. The posters were printed but never used. The grey poster was used to communicate the cancellation.

Designer(s):
Johnson / Kingston, Bern, Lucerne (CH)
Client:
Berner Design Stiftung, Bern (CH)
Kino Xenix

Poster for the monothematic monthly programme of Zurich-based arthouse cinema Xenix. The films were selected and compiled by Xenix co-programme director Jenny Billeter on the topic “Flucht nach vorn” (escaping ahead).

Designer(s):
Studio Marlon Ilg, Zurich (CH)
Client:
Xenix, Zurich (CH)
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf

The retrospective at the Kunsthalle Düsseldorf introduces Lutz Mommartz’s multilayered film oeuvre and reveals thematic and associative connections between the films. In addition, Mommartz undertakes a revision of his films in two large-scale installations and, from his current perspective, develops a presentation that uses cinematic processes such as montage, loops, slow motion, acceleration, and fragmentation. The exhibition is thus both a retrospective of Mommartz’s oeuvre from the past 50 years and its premiere. The opening of the exhibition was scheduled for November 21, 2020, but was postponed until further notice. The images shown here are excerpts from various ephemera and the two-volume exhibition catalog.

Designer(s):
Studio Thomas Spallek, Duesseldorf (DE), Porto (PT)
Client:
Kunsthalle Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf (DE)
Fulgrances 2
Fulgrances 2
Fulgrances 2
Fulgrances 2
Fulgrances 2

Fulgurances is a collective in the field of contemporary cuisine (restaurants, events, publications, etc.). We have been working with them since 2011. In 2020, they were in charge of the restaurant in l’Entrepôt which is a cultural place that brought cinemas, a restaurant, a bar and radio stations together. In September 2020, they came up with a cinema-cooking series, “Le Goût du Cinéma”, by inviting chefs to choose a film and compose a dinner for the audience after the screening. We designed the first 5 posters of this series, before the second lockdown in France put an end to this project (the last event was canceled.)

Designer(s):
Helmo, Montreuil sous Bois (FR)
Client:
Fulgurances, Paris (FR)
Jazzdor 2
Jazzdor 2
Jazzdor 2
Jazzdor 2

Jazzdor (Improvised music Festivals in France and Germany) had to cancel its Berlin festival in June because of Covid. Despite the uncertainty and contradictory injunctions from the French government (different health protocols every 2 weeks), Jazzdor decided to keep its November festival in Strasbourg. We produced programs and posters with silkscreen printing. The second part of the festival, which began on October 30, was cancelled. The other consequence, positive this time, was for Jazzdor to relaunch his record label. 5 vinyl records are in preparation for the year 2021.

Designer(s):
Helmo, Montreuil sous Bois (FR)
Client:
Jazzdor, Strasbourg (FR)
RKC 2
RKC 2

After the first lockdown as well as the closure of Uldry screen printing—who used to print these posters—RKC was back on track to promote their music space. This F4 poster announced the program of the month November at RKC and was printed by Duodart in Geneva. Unfortunately the planned events were hit by the second wave of Covid-19. Once again it was hung in the streets with no other aim than to hopefully bring at least a little color to the streets of Vevey :)

Designer(s):
Giliane Cachin, Zurich (CH)
Client:
Rocking Chair, Vevey (CH)
Parallel-Parallel
Opening : June 3rd, 18:30pm at The ÖFF (St. Jakobstrasse 54)
Lecture: June 4th, 16:00
OffShore Studio’s Isabel Seiffert, Turbo’s Mothanna Hussein and Stoecklin & Wilson’s Melina Wilson will be giving presentations about their ‘ghost’ works. The lectures will be presented in English.
Ortolan: June 11th,16:00
Kaj Lehmann and Nicolas Schaltegger will run «Ortolan», a pop-up bar with special cocktails

After two years of collecting projects, and showcasing them online, Parallel-Parallel became an in person exhibition. By showing a selection of works from the website, some produced and some not (drawn directly on the wall) we aimed to examine the different states of the graphic design practice, in other words, the process of materialization of the design object. How do we talk about and present the ‘ghost’ works that never left our computers or that remained in our minds?

Read more
We are grateful for everyone who came to visit, who gave us their incredible space (Matthias Wyler and André Rothfuchs from Studio Sirup), who helped us install and draw (Coline Houtot), who wrote our introduction text (Andrea Salerno), who made ghost stickers for us (Experimental Jetset), who recorded our voice labels (Rhona Mühlebach), who shared so candidly and gracefully their ghost projects (Isabel Seifert, Melina Wilson), who made fantastic cocktails for our Finissage (Kaj Lehmann, Nicolas Schaltegger), while (@_thisislookah, @alpha_mi_, Flo Olomski) played the best music, who hosted us in their flat (Raphael Schoen), and of course all the designers who have been part of Parallel-Parallel. Looking forward to the parallel futures. 👻
Ludwig Leo
Ludwig Leo
Ludwig Leo
Ludwig Leo

The Circulation Tank 2 (Umlauftank 2 1967–1974) is a heritage protected Berlin landmark built by German architect Ludwig Leo (1924–2012). The iconic building is a laboratory—a testing ground for flow experiments, for modes of architectural expression and now since its restoration for how to deal with recent monuments. The utopian planning approach of the Umlauftank 2 constitutes a synthesis of form and function, of creative collaboration and minimalist structure, of scientific research and expressive appearance.

The book design represents the architecture’s spirit. It aims at communicating the social relevance of heritage protection to a broader public. Re-interpreting design elements from the original building, the book brings together historic and poetic, documentary and critical perspectives on a rare architecture design approach. There was supposed to be a book launch in March 2020. Because of Covid it was canceled. But luckily we could publish this book later 2021.

Designer(s):
Siyu Mao, Berlin (DE)
Photography: Nora Heinisch, Berlin (DE)
Client:
Wuestenrot Foundation, Ludwigsburg (DE)
Berner Design Stiftung
Berner Design Stiftung

The poster announces the annual exhibition of funded design projects of the Canton of Bern. The exhibition had to be cancelled very shortly before the opening. The posters were printed but never used. The grey poster was used to communicate the cancellation.

Designer(s):
Johnson / Kingston, Bern, Lucerne (CH)
Client:
Berner Design Stiftung, Bern (CH)
Kino Xenix

Poster for the monothematic monthly programme of Zurich-based arthouse cinema Xenix. The films were selected and compiled by Xenix co-programme director Jenny Billeter on the topic “Flucht nach vorn” (escaping ahead).

Designer(s):
Studio Marlon Ilg, Zurich (CH)
Client:
Xenix, Zurich (CH)
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
Kunsthalle Düsseldorf

The retrospective at the Kunsthalle Düsseldorf introduces Lutz Mommartz’s multilayered film oeuvre and reveals thematic and associative connections between the films. In addition, Mommartz undertakes a revision of his films in two large-scale installations and, from his current perspective, develops a presentation that uses cinematic processes such as montage, loops, slow motion, acceleration, and fragmentation. The exhibition is thus both a retrospective of Mommartz’s oeuvre from the past 50 years and its premiere. The opening of the exhibition was scheduled for November 21, 2020, but was postponed until further notice. The images shown here are excerpts from various ephemera and the two-volume exhibition catalog.

Designer(s):
Studio Thomas Spallek, Duesseldorf (DE), Porto (PT)
Client:
Kunsthalle Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf (DE)
Fulgrances 2
Fulgrances 2
Fulgrances 2
Fulgrances 2
Fulgrances 2

Fulgurances is a collective in the field of contemporary cuisine (restaurants, events, publications, etc.). We have been working with them since 2011. In 2020, they were in charge of the restaurant in l’Entrepôt which is a cultural place that brought cinemas, a restaurant, a bar and radio stations together. In September 2020, they came up with a cinema-cooking series, “Le Goût du Cinéma”, by inviting chefs to choose a film and compose a dinner for the audience after the screening. We designed the first 5 posters of this series, before the second lockdown in France put an end to this project (the last event was canceled.)

Designer(s):
Helmo, Montreuil sous Bois (FR)
Client:
Fulgurances, Paris (FR)
Jazzdor 2
Jazzdor 2
Jazzdor 2
Jazzdor 2

Jazzdor (Improvised music Festivals in France and Germany) had to cancel its Berlin festival in June because of Covid. Despite the uncertainty and contradictory injunctions from the French government (different health protocols every 2 weeks), Jazzdor decided to keep its November festival in Strasbourg. We produced programs and posters with silkscreen printing. The second part of the festival, which began on October 30, was cancelled. The other consequence, positive this time, was for Jazzdor to relaunch his record label. 5 vinyl records are in preparation for the year 2021.

Designer(s):
Helmo, Montreuil sous Bois (FR)
Client:
Jazzdor, Strasbourg (FR)
RKC 2
RKC 2

After the first lockdown as well as the closure of Uldry screen printing—who used to print these posters—RKC was back on track to promote their music space. This F4 poster announced the program of the month November at RKC and was printed by Duodart in Geneva. Unfortunately the planned events were hit by the second wave of Covid-19. Once again it was hung in the streets with no other aim than to hopefully bring at least a little color to the streets of Vevey :)

Designer(s):
Giliane Cachin, Zurich (CH)
Client:
Rocking Chair, Vevey (CH)