In a rapidly changing industry, designers explore the boundaries of book design
AIGA's “50 Books/50 Covers Competition” selections show the
changing nature of visual communication design in publishing
NEW YORK—January 20, 2011.In
an era where books can exist along a spectrum of formats from
e-books to apps to printed volumes, today's communication designers
are exploring the craft of modern book design and the art of
publishing. The annual “AIGA 50 Books/50 Covers Competition”
celebrates this by highlighting the most effective printed books
and book covers.
Fifty publications were chosen specifically for their unexpected
cover designs—including a holographic cover and a cookbook with no
food pictured on the jacket—while book design as a whole was
carefully considered for the other fifty selections, from the
choice of type and paper to the binding, cover and overall
format.
“There's something to be said for the very tactile nature of a
book,” noted AIGA Executive Director Richard Grefé. “Drawn in first
by the cover, then its heft, the feel of its pages and the
compositions of its spreads, viewing these selections is a welcome
annual event. There is endless speculation on the future of books,
but there are still written works that warrant the dimensionality
and tactile experience of the physical object.”
The exhibition catalogue, available at Blurb.
But simply memorializing a medium isn't AIGA's intention.
“AIGA's books competition serves to bring our attention to the
creativity of the form—beyond the traditional format and expected
components—as well as the role design plays in the effective
communication of ideas,” added AIGA Exhibitions Director Gabriela
Mirensky.
As a whole, these hundred examples of intriguing covers and
stunning design and production indicate that the printed book is
not going away—it's evolving.
Browse the new print-on-demand catalogue
AIGA is publishing a new
catalogue chronicling each of the year's book and book cover
design selections along with jurors' comments, a worthy addition to
any book lover's library. Created with Presenting Sponsor Blurb—the
creative publishing platform that enables anyone to design,
publish, promote, and sell their own book—the catalogue is
now available for preview and purchase online.
See the exhibition in New York this winter
Selections from the competition are featured in a traveling exhibition,
now on view through April 8 at the AIGA National
Design Center in New York. Visitors outside of New York are
encouraged to explore the selections in the
AIGA Design Archives, a resource of design inspiration
available to all.
About the competition
The only comprehensive survey of its kind, “AIGA 50 Books/50
Covers” has long identified and celebrated the best work in the
field. Selections are housed in the AIGA Design Archives online,
and join the physical collections of the Rare Book and Manuscript
Library at Columbia University and the Denver Art Museum.
About AIGA
AIGA is the professional association for design, a nonprofit
organization dedicated to advancing design as a professional craft,
strategic tool and vital cultural force. Founded in 1914, AIGA
today serves more than 22,000 members through 66 chapters and 200
student groups throughout the United States. AIGA stimulates
thinking about design, demonstrates the value of design and
empowers the success of designers at each stage of their careers.
Learn more at aiga.org/about.
For further information, please contact:Jennifer
Bender
AIGA | the professional association for design
Tel 212 710 3136 Fax 212 807 1799