After studying in Zurich and Paris, Gérard Miedinger started working as an independent artist in 1938. In 1945, he opened the Atelier Miedinger studio, where he spent many years collaborating with young graphic artists, providing them with valuable insights. The protégés in his ‘school’ included renowned designers such as Ruedi Külling and Peter Vetter. Miedinger spent the first ten years of his career as a prolific poster designer, with many of his works being awarded prizes by the Federal Department of Home Affairs. The now famous stylised ‘K’ poster he created for the ‘Plakat’ series, exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in Zurich in 1953, is now part of the collection held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Miedinger was one of the trailblazers of modern Swiss graphic design but never restricted himself to a particular style, instead producing an oeuvre characterised by artistically and technically varied and vibrant works. He also made a name for himself with his three-dimensional designs. In 1950, for instance, he began a project that would span more than 40 years – designing and creating the window displays for the Schweizerische Kreditanstalt on Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse. He was also involved in designing the Swiss pavilion for the World Fair in Brussels in 1958, and in Montreal in 1967.

In 1975, Gérard Miedinger became a member of the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI). President of the Verband Schweizer Grafiker (Swiss Graphic Design Association VSG) from 1968 to 1972, he also championed the graphic design profession. In his later years, Miedinger dedicated more and more of his time to fine art.