Penguin Random House New Zealand
Award for Best Illustrated Book 2019
Finalist
Designers: Arch MacDonnell and Alexandra Turner, Inhouse Design
Title: Fiona Clark: Living With Aids 1988
Publisher: Michael Lett
Format: 240 x 310mm, 110pp, case bound.
Case: Scolex plus gold matt foil.
Albums 1 & 2 printed on 170gsm Lumi silk artpaper plus spot overgloss varnish.
Album 3 printed on 140gsm Sun woodfree.
Typography: Helvetica Neve Light 9pt/12pt and Helvetiva Neve Medium 9pt/12 pt.
Headings: Helvetica Neve Bold 20pt/21.85pt.
Sub-headings: Nevetica Neve Medium 13pt.
Judges’ comments: “An incredibly sensitive and moving document from three decades ago looking at four people in NZ living with HIV. Thoughtfully presented as four photo albums with a delicate balance between documentary and drama. A stark insight into a segment of our social history. Artwork that you have to physically engage with (i.e. turn pages), not passively gaze at on a wall. An elegant package with the different shades of sombre blue. The photograph reproductions are superb as is the handwritten text. Beautifully presented and finished. I love the shape and format of the boxed set.”
“The subtle fading blue book cover cloths as you progress through volumes echoes, perhaps, the stories of those who passed. The design choices here? The design and production of the publication — there is very little typography to critique. What is there is crisp, understated and has a reverential tone on the page. Conceptually it is a heavy hitting book, with sensitive and beautiful photography, leaving the designer to play second fiddle and allow gallery context, social issue and extraordinary stories to have appropriate focus and space.”
“Almost like an old medical journal? Pragmatic design. Larger format to promote imagery and address topic/ personal content.”
“A monumental package, that has a quiet objective grace to the design. The impact of the content is given the space to breath and unfold slowly.”
