Publisher : Pacific et Swiss Institute 'Vis-à-vis' presents the most extensive cross section of acclaimed Swiss artist Walter Pfeiffer's work to date. Assuming the indexical format of the abécédaire, complete with hand-drawn illustrations and a freewheeling glossary written by the artist, this 500-page publication unites some of Pfeiffer's most iconic images with never-before-seen artworks. Coursing through many of these words and pictures is a sense of desire. Yet beyond Pfeiffer's characteristically self-effacing simplicity hovers an exacting and relentless quest for formal perfection in his subjects: a stand-in for his own evanescent good looks and inner star. The performance of beauty is projected onto people and things that are able to pull it off. Five texts by scholars and critics accompany the photographs, situating Pfeiffer within broader art historical narratives.
