Arnaud Mercier — Rétrospective — This is definitely not a website — Since Gallery — Exhibition — Slash Paris

Past: November 15 → December 7, 2012

Arnaud Mercier (May 10, 1972 — September 26, 2011) is widely considered to be among the most important and prolific interactive designers. He spent the majority of his career working on websites but firmly viewed himself a traditional graphic designer. This tension created an inner debate over the role of graphic design on the web, ultimately defining his personal style.

Arnaud Mercier, Poster, Elixir Studio, 2007, 0 © Arnaud Mercier

Looking at Arnaud’s career as a whole, one can see a new design vernacular emerge that is unique to the web yet profoundly influenced by traditional graphic design—a visual language that references nature and the physical world without the direct metaphors that are often used in web design today.

Arnaud Mercier, Sans titre, 0 © Arnaud Mercier

This is definitely not a website is an exploration of the recurring themes found in Arnaud’s work. By viewing his work in its rawest state—shapes, colors, typography, photography, movement—we examine the blurred lines between graphic design and web design, asking the viewer to explore their intersections, deviations and mutations. This exhibition comes as a complement to the retrospective website dedicated to Arnaud.