Photo Book Reviews

Signs are equal parts art and science because they are designed to deliver key bits of information to potential customers at a single glance. Signs can be found everywhere—in every city and town around the world—and each one must as eye catching and memorable as possible while still maintaining a certain level of artistic style and cultural identity. Award winning graphic designer Louise Fili’s passion for Italian lettering can be traced back to her first trip to Italy at age 16, when she encountered a uniquely beautiful billboard advertising Baci Perugina chocolates. The style of this sign fascinated young Louise, sparking her interest and influencing her own artistic style for years to come.

Following her passion, for the past 30-years Fili has documented a wide selection of Italy’s most inventive signs. Restaurants, shops, hotels, streets (and advertising) signs of all shapes, colors and sizes fill the pages of her delightful book, Grafica della Strada: The Signs of Italy. Their construction varies from stone to metal, wood, glass, neon and even mosaic tiles. While different, each one clearly exhibits hints of that wonderful Italian style that first charmed Fili and it will certainly have the same effect on you.

Grafica della Strada: The Signs of Italy; by Louise Fili; Princeton Architectural Press; $40; (ISBN: 978-1-61689-269-2)

More info on Princeton Architectural Press here.