PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Hannah Wilke (1940-1993) was an American artist best known for pushing against prevailing norms around gender and sexuality in work that was both formally inventive and conceptually rigorous. Wilke wrote, “I want to be as immediate as possible in my art… the human gesture becoming sculpture.” This vitality and viscerality connects her work across various materials — including clay, poured vinyl, photography, performance art, and even tiny sculptures made out of chewing gum, folded to resemble female genitalia. Wilke was so *alive* to the “pursuit of pleasure and of power”, but what I also enjoyed about working on this book was Wilke’s vibrant sense of humor.

Three ideas, derived from Wilke’s practice and her own words, direct the layout of the book: Movement (pushing, pulling, opening and closing); affirmation (repetitive gestures; positive energy); and sensuality (tactile, visceral). The immediacy of the flesh is front and center on the acetate book jacket; while the push and pull of text and image move throughout the essay section. Typefaces are chosen for the way they speak to precision in craft and playfulness in detail; the main title typeface is Marya by Margot Leveque, the body type is Zangezi Sans by Daria Pertrova. Images in the plate section are treated formally even as the figure captions dart asymmetrically across the bottom of the page. A back section holding a chronology and checklist is on color paper, to once again evoke both flesh and clay.

BOOK INFORMATION

Trim Size: 9 x 10.8

Number of Pages: 252

Binding Method: Section sewn, separate ends, head-and-tail band, paper over board, square backed, jacketed.

Paper: 224pp: 150gsm matte artpaper (foldout is off page 187/188); 28pp: 90gsm salmon Favini Burano

Typefaces: Marya, Zangezi Sans, Grotesque MT

CREDIT INFORMATION

Creative Director: Tom Eykemans, Lucia | Marquand

Art Director:

Book Designer: Jayme Yen

Jacket/Cover Designer: Jayme Yen

Illustrator:

Photographer:

Picture Editor:

Production Director: Leah Finger, Lucia | Marquand

Production Coordinator: Jeremy Linden, Lucia | Marquand

Production Artist:

Other Credits:

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