Zero to Five

The first book of visual identities, photographs, typefaces, books, films, posters, and installations by Akatre. The visual identities, installations, and editorial designs of French design agency Akatre are marked by bold swaths of color, elaborate photographic still lifes, and striking re-appropriations of everyday objects. Zero to Five is the first book to showcase Akartre’s distinctive and experimental visual creations, which cross fluidly between photography, graphic and web design, art, and typography. Founded in 2007 and comprising Julien Dhivert, Sébastien Riveron, and Valentin Abad, and now one of the most coveted studios in Paris, Akatre takes on projects that require an involved and all-encompassing design approach. Because Akatre does typography, layout, photography, and video themselves, their work requires strong personal and emotional involvement, thereby turning each project into a personal exploration and a part of the studio’s evolution. Much of Akatre’s designs are manifested as photographs of subject matter involving elaborate balancing acts, everyday objects exaggerated in multiplicity or left hovering in space, delicate bodily extensions, and the occasional wild animal. Color and geometry are tightly controlled, every detail is carefully considered. Zero to Five features both non-commissioned work and work designed for clients in art, culture, music, fashion, and luxury fields. Akatre’s past clients include Mains d'Œuvres, a multidisciplinary contemporary art venue; TU-Nantes, a cutting-edge performance space at the University of Nantes; Foundation Cartier, Cartier’s contemporary art center in Paris; and Para One & Tacteel, a French electronic music duo.