PROJECT DESCRIPTION

PUTIN is a monumental, new (700-page) biography about the President of Russia. After almost ten years in the making, it was finally ready for publication—and we were designing the jacket—just as Russia's invasion of Ukraine began.

I felt very strongly that using a portrait of Putin would be insufficient. From a practical standpoint, the marketplace was already awash with books about Putin, and they all feature a photograph of him. This book needed to differentiate itself somehow. And on a visceral level, the geopolitical stakes—and my own emotions—were running very high with the onset of war. I wanted the cover to hit you hard, like the news of war itself.

The red rectangle is open to interpretation by the viewer, and represents so many things for me: a window into oblivion; rage; clouded sight; a resurgent USSR. And also, it was satisfying to "erase" Putin, in a way. But most of all, the rectangle felt like a kind of accounting of Putin's crimes against Ukraine—like a death toll, piling up.

Production was chosen to maximize the emotional impact of the design. The black areas have a "gritty matte" finish. And the Pantone red areas are spot glossed and debossed.

BOOK INFORMATION

Trim Size: 6-1/4" x 9-1/2"

Number of Pages: 864 (including index.)

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CREDIT INFORMATION

Creative Director: Christopher Sergio

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Jacket/Cover Designer: Christopher Sergio

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