PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Listening to Clay surveys a critical range of sixteen contemporary Japanese ceramic artists, giving voice to their deep bodies of work through in-depth conversations with the authors. When we began designing this book, we immediately took interest in this passage from the introduction:

“Drawing inspiration from asymmetrical, nonfunctional clay forms made in Japan by the Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988), they shifted from the symmetry of the potter’s wheel toward the freedom of hand building.”

The idea of balancing asymmetry with functionality became a guiding light to the design of this book. Since most of the text takes the form of conversation, we chose to horizontally offset the interviewers from the interviewees, creating a rhythmic back and forth throughout the book.

Further, by means of silhouetting images, the book extracts the irregularities of each ceramicist and forefronts them as contemporary artists.

The color choices become a clear outline of content that runs along the fore-edge of the book, a subtle pattern that doubles as a road map. Dark blue striations represent each artist, while light blue represents dealer interviews, and pink delineates front and back matter. All colors are derived from artworks within the book. The linear patterns on the fore-edge are continued on the cover, through an embossed vertical fluting that brings texture to the cover experience.

BOOK INFORMATION

Trim Size: 8-1/4 x 10-3/4 Inches

Number of Pages: 352

Binding Method: Case Bound

Paper: Cover: Wibalin Flute

Typefaces: Gerstner Programm, Times New Roman Seven

CREDIT INFORMATION

Creative Director: David Yun

Art Director: David Yun

Book Designer: Stefanie Tam

Jacket/Cover Designer: Stefanie Tam & Inyeong Cho

Illustrator: Inyeong Cho

Photographer: Principal photography by Taya Mariko and Richard Goodbody

Picture Editor:

Production Director:

Production Coordinator: Michael Vagnetti

Production Artist:

Other Credits: Jenny Florence - Editor

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