The Trapani Design Archive

The Trapani Design Archive is a research project aimed at rediscovering and enhancing the graphic design production of Western Sicily through a curated selection of works produced from the twentieth century onward.

The research began in 2018 as part of a Graphic Design course taught by Mauro Bubbico, developed alongside the production of a magazine dedicated to the city of Trapani.

The initial phase of the investigation focused on the analysis and digitization of historical local periodicals, from which advertising inserts were extracted, featuring logos, typographic characters, signs, and graphic elements distinguished by strong formal experimentation and a remarkable sense of timelessness.

Subsequently, the project expanded and consolidated through an archival and dissemination platform on Instagram, incorporating materials such as shop signs, book and magazine covers, labels, packaging, posters, periodicals, and other visual artifacts. The Trapani Design Archive thus positions itself as a tool for the critical narration of a territory in which the practice of graphic design has historically faced, and continues to face, significant cultural and operational challenges.