Designer, educator and 'transformer' Marie Neurath was the brains behind dozens of illustrated books for children on scientific topics ranging from nuclear physics to reproduction.

Leading a collaborative team of researchers, artists and writers from the 1940s to the 1970s, she transformed complex science into striking infographics and diagrams to be easily understood by those of all ages.

Marie Neurath: Picturing Science demonstrated this process of transformation from early ideas for picture books, research documents and initial sketches to final page spreads and bold book covers.

The exhibition was delivered in partnership with the University of Reading and Design Science, supported by the Arts & Humanities Research Council.

The exhibition was part of 'Transforming science for young people: Marie Neurath and Isotype books for children', a project aiming to find new audiences for the approach to science communication taken by Marie Neurath.

This exhibition was also part of both London Design Festival 2019 and Insiders/Outsiders, a nationwide arts festival that took place from March 2019 to March 2020 to celebrate refugees from Nazi Europe and their contribution to British culture.

Selected reviews and articles:

"A beguiling little show... unexpectedly beautiful as well as instructive. Without the Neuraths, graphic design as we know it might not have existed."

The Guardian

"An insight into the beginnings of information design [that] no doubt influence designers today."

Design Week

All artworks © Otto and Marie Neurath Isotype Collection at University of Reading
All photographs © Paul Grover

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