Bruno Munari
Chronicle Books, New York, 2005; originally published 1958, English
Nonfiction, Graphic Design; Nonfiction, Photography; Nonfiction, Reference
4.75 x 6.5 inches, paperback, 120 pages, black-and-white illustrations
ISBN: 9780811847742
Suggested Retail Price: $14.95

From the Publisher. They say that a gesture is worth a thousand words, and when it comes to speaking with your hands, the Italians speak volumes. This quirky handbook of Italian gestures, first published in 1958 by renowned Milanese artist and graphic designer Bruno Munari, will help the phalange-phobic decipher the unspoken language of gestures—a language not found in any dictionary. Charming black-and-white photos and wry captions evoke an Italy of days gone by. Speak Italian gives a little hand to anyone who has ever been at a loss for words.

Bruno Munari (1907-1998), internationally acclaimed painter, sculptor, photographer, graphic designer, and creator of books, was a member of the Milanese Futurist group and taught at universities in Europe and America. Munari also designed advertisements, objects, toys, and games. His artwork has been exhibited at the Venice Biennale and in museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

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Alexander Haldemann

Speak Italian: The Fine Art of the Gesture is a book that describes what you can’t learn about Italian in the dictionary. This book is important to me because I grew up on the border of Switzerland and Italy next to Lago Maggiore, a lake that is shared by both countries. Italian is my second language, but I learned very quickly that, when it comes to understanding Italian, gestures are extremely important in communicating and telling stories. This insight has carried over into my work: brands, much like languages, are multi-sensory. To truly understand both people and brands, you have to go deeper than the surface and look at them from a different perspective.

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