ALBE STEINER
(1913-1974)
Albe Steiner was born in 1913 in Milan.
He began its work as a graphic artist in 1939 when it
didn't exist as an activity yet.
After the Italian Liberazione he worked to "Politecnico"
and "Milano Sera" 's editing and graphic arrangement.
From 1946 to 1948 he was in Mexico where he met Hannes
Meyer (ex Bauhaus' chairman) with whom he worked at a
literacy campaign and at the "Taller de grafica popular".
He came back to Italy in 1948 teaching until 1971 (just
with brief interruptions).
He was founder and a member of art guildes like the Center
for graphic studies, Agi (Alliance graphique
internationale), Adi (Association for industrial design),
Icta (International center for the typographic arts). He
formatted a lot of photography, design and modern
architecture reviews among which we can find "Note
fotografiche", "Radiofoto", "Cantieri", "Stile Industria",
"Interiors" (U.S.A.), "Metron", "Costruzioni Casabella",
"Domus", "Edilizia Moderna". He worked for the most
important Italian companies like Pirelli and Olivetti. He
took part to various commercial and cultural exhibitions
(Fiera di Milano, Triennali and Biennale di Venezia).
He gave a strong political and civil example participating
to Aned initiatives (it is important to remember the
museum-monument addressed to the ex Nazi concentration
camps deportees, built between 1964 and 1973 in Carpi in
collaboration with B.B.P.R. architects).
It is also very important to mention his role as an art
director for the Rinascente in Milan from 1950 , where he
made the exhibition called "Estetica del prodotto" leading
to the "Compasso d'oro" aware setting up.
He was also ineterested in photography as a new mean of
communication.
He died in 1974 in Raffadali.
