Studio Mut creates geometric identity for Italian textile research lab

South Tyrol-based Studio Mut has created an identity and exhibition catalogue for Lottozero, a textile research lab in Prato, Italy. The lab is known for its experimental approach to breaking new ground in textile research and hopes to create a network for those working in the textile industry. Lottozero’s exhibition, Inside Lottozero opens later this month and explores the use of “textile material in contemporary art”, and invites visitors to the exhibition to spend the entire night inside the space. 

The accompanying catalogue created by Studio Mut features 13 artists exploring textile design, music and performance. As the main visual hook, the studio has used a continuous monochrome pattern on the cover and when several catalogues are placed side-by-side a pixelated pattern grows. “The title of the exhibition is printed directly on the catalogue, creating a seemingly closed or massive object,” says the studio. “Only after closer examination the object reveals its nature.” 

As a textile lab it would’ve been easy for Studio Mut to the throw together numerous patterns together, but the use of just one creates a stronger more cohesive aesthetic. The catalogue graphically interweaves English, Italian and German languages, and pages are laid out in a mix of landscape and portrait. 

This change in perspective is emphasised by the use of singular letters and thumbnail imagery placed within paragraphs of text, mimicking the traditional layout of a catalogue. In other places, the sans serif typeface with the odd pixelated letter, is used to frame larger and richer imagery, adding colour and texture to the black and white book.