Commissioned to design a definitive book about the oeuvre of these two artists, we structured it like two roads emerging from different points and converging in the middle. A bit like a switch-book to play with.
One half of the book tells Kiki’s story while the other half is Joost and they meet each other in the heart of the book, shown in their shared studio space in Eindhoven. The book gives a deep insight into these two individuals, where they describe their joint projects, travels, personal fascinations, and inspirations. We also see the predominance of a festive and playful approach to the products they create. While Joost’s designs are more structured and technical, Kiki is a storyteller and brings in elements of whimsy, with skillful detailing. Craftsmanship and imagination are the common ground into which both trade.
These differences are graphically represented, through the use of low and high-end materials in the book finishing. The cover is a combination of gold foiling contrasted with cardboard, while the inside pages have stark white pages and brown wrapping paper. With a structured inside, the cover displays a looseness with the artists shown with swapped face masks. The book deservedly won the best-designed book prize. This publication shows two subjects coming together to form a wholesome other, a contemporary version of the adage by Aristotle - The Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts.
client: NAi Publishers / book concept & design: Mariola Lopez Mariño / publisher : Lecturis / photography: several authors / text: Jeroen Junte
