PROJECT DESCRIPTION
On the occassion of the exhibition Symbionts: Contemporary Artists and the Biosphere, this accompanying exhibition catalogue showcases the work and thinking around this remarkable show, which highlights recent evolutions in bio-art, provoking us to think about our relationship to bacteria, organism, planet and earth. The macrostructure of the book embraces the forms and conversations in the show by connecting each signature's paper to a part of the natural kingdom—part 1: leather waste (animal); part 2: algae paper (ocean); part 3+4 citrus and cacao paper (land). The typography acts as organisms throughout the book with intentionally long caption lines that snake across the page as well as wrapping footnotes acting as a kind of fungus, attaching itself to the body text. For the main title design as well as the custom illustrated numbers used as section headers, we created typographic collages using elements of our natural and human world. Look close enough and you can even see parts of our hair! Lastly, we commissioned a bespoke and growing gutter texture to mimic paper foxing, growing and morphing as you move through the book, coded by Davd Hirotsu and Alfredo Gonzales based on the Conway's Game of Life code.
BOOK INFORMATION
Trim Size: 7 x 10
Number of Pages: 232 Pages
Binding Method: exposed coptic stitch + gmund chlorophyll paper + foil stamp
Paper: Favini Remake Carapace (leather agro waste); Favini Alga Carta (Algae); Favini Crush Citrus; Favini Crush Cacao; Gmund Cholorphyll
Typefaces: Custom numbers and title typography, ABC Whyte Inktrap, ITC Cheltenham, Replica Mono
CREDIT INFORMATION
Creative Director: Julie Cho, Alice Chung, Karen Hsu
Art Director: Julie Cho, Alice Chung, Karen Hsu
Book Designer: Julie Cho, Alice Chung, Karen Hsu
Jacket/Cover Designer: Julie Cho, Alice Chung, Karen Hsu
Illustrator: Julie Cho, Alice Chung, Karen Hsu
Photographer:
Picture Editor:
Production Director:
Production Coordinator:
Production Artist:
Other Credits: David Hirotsu and Alfredo Gonzalez-programming; Sarah Stephenson-copy editor
Symbionts: Contemporary Artists and the Biosphere
Category
Book and Cover
Description
Winner - AIGA 50 Books | 50 Covers of 2022
Book Title: Symbionts: Contemporary Artists and the Biosphere
Design Firm/Agency: Omnivore, Inc
Publisher: MIT Press, MIT List Visual Art Center
Author/Editor: Caroline A. Jones, Natalie Bell and Selby Nimrod, editor
Juror Comments
“Hats off to the designers here. This book is maximal, loud, and almost careening out of control, but everything takes its cue from the higher-order concept. The green of chlorophyll. The paper texture of bark. The exposed spine is like an exoskeleton. While many of these gestures might raise questions in lesser hands, these hands are confident, bold, and inspired by nature to a riotous, almost absurd degree.”
“The design fully embraced the subject from the use of textured papers to the organic typographic movement created by the footnotes. The hint of color along the gutter along with the paper changes clearly defines each section of the book and makes it a delightful object to hold.”
Winner Status
- 50 Books Winner
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