Description:

Brief
The brief was to design a book that reflects the content and quality of the distinctive and singular painting practice of New Zealand artist Roger Mortimer: Through his enigmatic and surreal juxtaposition of medieval imagery on current marine charts from around Aotearoa, Mortimer presents metaphorical, timeless and universal stories of navigation and transformation, drawing on 15th century illustrated manuscripts of the famous poem The Divine Comedy by the Italian poet Dante.
With 160 pages, more than 50 images and seven texts including a conversation with the artist – the book examines 12 years of Mortimer’s map paintings.

Solution
The artist was very keen on a design that would "feel good" to handle and to read – as a compliment to his work, rather than simply mutely reflecting the visual content of his paintings. Hence the attention to highlighting the material quality of the book making process books: the binding, cover materials and changes in paper stock, unusual juxtapositions of typographic choice etc.