Rètrospective Heinz Edelmann – Noirs Desseins
(Heinz Edelmann Retrospective: Dark Designs)

Dr. Bob Hieronimus was honored by the curators of a Heinz Edelmann retrospective exhibit, and asked to loan several of his Edelmann pieces for temporary display in their gallery. Below is a translation of the program of this monumental exhibit that opened in Lausanne, Switzerland in 2015, along with several photos of the exhibit and the street banners advertising it.

Translation of the program for the exhibit:

Dr. Bob Hieronimus with Heinz Edelmann
in Liverpool in 1999

Lausanne Espace Arlaud
from June 26 to August 2, 2015

Lausanne has the honor of this first retrospective, placed under the aegis of the Foundation of La Littérature en couleurs (FLEC) in Yverdon-les-Bains, which aims to promote the best graphic artists, whether for books, children’s movies or cartoons.

Special thanks to:
Anna Edelmann
Valentine Edelmann
Apple Corps Ltd / Subafilms Ltd.
Bob Hieronimus
for their invaluable assistance.
The exhibition is under the artistic direction of Etienne Delessert and Werner Jeker.

With the valuable support of donors:
State of Vaud
City of Yverdon-les-Bains
Loterie Romande
Sandoz Family Foundation
Payot foundation for the promotion of reading and access to culture in western Switzerland (FPPL)

Heinz Edelmann: Black Designs

A very famous stranger!

Everyone, from Brazil to Japan, knows the film The Yellow Submarine. Heinz Edelmann (1934-2009) rewrote the script before creating the characters and sceneries, not to mention the major villains named the Blue Meanies who propel the story. He did everything except compose the Beatles songs! The design of the Yellow Submarine since then has been established as one of the most instantly recognizable logos in the world.

He could have stopped there, or continued in this same type of famous style, and die of boredom at the age of 70. Instead, over the fifty years that followed, Heinz Edelmann was employed as one of the most inventive graphic artists. He worked for the press and for the edition, drawing countless cultural and political posters.

He especially expresses, better than anyone else in Europe, shadows and lights, fears and questions of our time. He was a caustic and provocative philosopher, exploring the depths of the soul, and an always-unexpected comedian whose work makes one wonder: “But how has he found this idea?”

He was above all, no less than an outstanding draftsman, and a great painter whose line can be recognized at first glance today. Combining the creative versatility of a Picasso with an ample expressionist pictorial touch, in the way of a van Gogh, inspired by the events of his time. He also occasionally joined the harshness of some of the woodcuts of Vallotton. And all this in front of a large audience!

Heinz Edelmann possessed that rare and magical key which gives us a durable understanding and much to admire. He is not “old-fashioned” in any way, and his vision of life remains perfectly fresh and contemporary. There are few artists you can love for both the concept and the form of their work, and who were able to find a truly universal language.

Click here to see a few of the images from the exhibit

Click here for the Museum Lausanne Espace Arlaud’s website description of the exhibit

Photo Gallery

Click thumbnails to enlarge.