2019 Gerard Reid Award for Best Book
Sponsored by Nielsen Book
Winner
Designer: Arch MacDonnell and the team at Inhouse Design
Title: Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing
Publisher: Te Papa Press
Format: 255 x 200mm, 300pp, hardback. The half-jacket is reversible, with the peʻa tatau on one side, and the malu tatau on the other. Debossed title motif on the case.
Typography: A unique stencil typeface was created that draws on the shark tooth motif prevalent in Sāmoan tatau. This was used for the titles and chapter numbers. Support fonts are Lyon and Callibre. Leading and font sizes vary. The typeface is debossed onto the case of the book, and can be seen above the half jacket.
Judges’ comments This is a book that has had much attention paid to every detail. The three types of content inside are carefully thought out through the typography and design choices that differentiate them, with page detailing and placement visually echoing the fine intricacies of tatau. The earthy colour palette used is well considered and supports the type hierarchy nicely.
