This intriguing book examines the small woven and wrought works artist sheila hicks has produced for the past fifty years. Huge book designed by irma boom about the worldfamous dutch architect rem koolhaas, richly illustrated on thousands of india paper pages, with hundreds of small and large architectural items signed by both irma boom and rem koolhaas. Boom has been described as the queen of books,1 having created over 300 books and is. Dutchborn irma boom makes part of a very small selection of people that most inspired the creation of mishmash. With text by mathieu lommen and notes by irma boom. Oct 15, 20 irma boom has become one of the most widely renowned and laureated book designers in the world today.
The book tells the story of gabrielle chanel and the making of chanel no. Her often ingenious solutions to individual book productions have gained her international fame and her work is now collected by many leading museums such. Irma booms library, where pure experimentalism is on the. Irma is widely recognized as one of the worlds foremost book designers, distinguished by her experimental approach to fo. Watch her demonstrate and discuss these unique miniature books, which are among the. Boom often creates small models or miniversions of the books she makes. The book contains no index or page numbers and is in reverse chronological order. This updated editon includes 96 new pages, and new introduction by rem koolhaas. Irma boom born 15 december 1960 in lochem, gelderland, netherlands, is a dutch graphic designerwho specializes in book making. When it finally came out after a process of four years, the response was overwhelmingly positive, and the book has since become booms own manifesto for a book. Boom designs her books in an atypical process closer to architecture than graphic design, building one or more smallscale 3d models while she. Irma boom is a dutch graphic designerwho specializes in book making.
The dutch graphic designer irma boom is one of the most wellknown contemporary book designers. Born in the netherlands in 1960, boom has won international acclaim for her book designs. The architecture of the book miniature edition, lecturis, 20. Its all about scale, size, weight and sometimes even smell. With the use of unfamiliar formats, materials, colors, structures, and typography she makes the book into a visual and haptic experience. Irma boomthe most original and best book designer in the. The classic book cant escape that and is now feeling it acutely. The project began in 1991 with booms only prompt being to look for the unusual. Irma boom by corinne magarry designhistorykingscliff. With their distinctive colors, thoughtful compositions, and narrative, these miniature creations reveal the emergence and continuity of the artists approach to her work. Weaving as metaphor was named most beautiful book in the world. The 2,6page book took five years to complete, and was finally published in 1996. The dutch graphic artist is revolutionizing bookmaking, one tiny tome at a time. Her work is showcased at the university of amsterdam library.
Its amazing how something so small can have such amount of information. Boom has been described as the queen of books,1 having created over 300 books and is well reputed for her artistic autonomy within her field. On february 24th 2012, volume sat down with irma boom to discuss among other things her practice, her work. The house next to the garage accommodates the office where graphic designer irma boom works and the library where she keeps her book collection. A thorough reflection on a book s content leads boom to her design decisions. Boom designed each page with line drawings or small graphicstyle dots. Since then, boom, a professed workaholic, has applied her unorthodox approach to more than 300 books, picking up more awards along the way, including the coveted gutenberg prize in 2011, of which she was the youngest recipient. Irma boom designed a book for the perfume chanel no.
The book utilizes the nonlinear structure of the internet, which was then quite new. The architecture of the book, it contains 704 pages and 450 images. Many of todays ebooks, by contrast, represent a provisional low point in the art of bookmaking, writes mr. The architecture of the book is an 800page miniature catalogue of her work. Dutch designer, irma boom has spent her career questioning book. She has received extensive media coverage of her work, and the new york times profiled her in an article titled a small book in a big career, published on august 8, 2010. Distinguished book designer irma boom makes miniature versions of her books in an almost architectural manner. On february 24th 2012, volume sat down with irma boom to discuss among other things her practice, her work with volume. A selection of 10 books designed by amsterdambased book designer irma boom that have appeared on the book lists of our contributors, featured publishers, and booksellers. May 22, 2015 the next case study will demonstrate the power of the printed book in the digital age. Conversely, her largest project, the shv think book, is a 26page book published in english and chinese, which took her five years to research, design and edit. Irma boom founded an independent office in amsterdam in 1991 and continued to work on projects in cultural and commercial sectors. The latest issue of volume marks a special jubilee. Designer irma boom won the gold medal for the most beautiful book in the world prize given at the leipzig book fair this intriguing book examines the small woven and wrought works artist sheila hicks has produced for the past fifty years.
The book irma boom biography in books on mark lamsters book shelf a few months ago i used this space to profess my distaste for fat design monographs, the sort with images that run page after page and have minimal explanatory text. Apr 03, 2012 irma boom was born in 1960 is an amsterdambased graphic designer specialising in book design. Nov 05, 2015 furthermore, boom finds that making a small book is more difficult than making a big book, and being fearless when it comes to rethinking the boundaries of what a book can be is essential to her. Boom often creates small models or miniversions of the books she makes in. Irma boom studied at the aki art academy in enschede, and in 1991 she established her own office in amsterdam. Her often ingenious solutions to individual book productions have gained her international fame and her work is now collected by many leading museums such as the moma in new york. The next case study will demonstrate the power of the printed book in the digital age. The youngest ever laureate to receive the prestigious gutenberg prize for her complete body of work, she has 50 books in the permanent collection at moma and. Definitions of a book a book within a book based on the definition what a book is or should be by irma boom concept during the 4th semester we had the task to create a book about the work of one bookdesigner. Boom introduced the idea of a fat book overtly thick book and has made more than 300 books, 100 of which are in the permanent collection of moma in new york. I take it everywhere, she says, holding it out for me to touch when we sit together in the salon of. This is an overview of booms career with an introduction by rem koolhaas and text by mathieu lommen. The smell of a newly printed page, the familiar crease of a spine resting in your hand and perhaps more significantly, the endless adaptations of its traditional form. Mar 09, 2012 the latest issue of volume marks a special jubilee.
Irma booms detailed and textually specific book designs have positioned her as one of the leading voices in her field. One of the first who had complete faith in the abilities and quality of irma boom was paul fentener van vlissingen who commissioned the svh jubilee publication of over 2000 pages a classic in book design, finished in 1996 and done in the very special irma boom way with no limitations in the execution and with a complete rethinking of the. Dec 23, 2010 the dutch graphic designers creative development of song through 21st century eyes. Jan 16, 2017 many of todays ebooks, by contrast, represent a provisional low point in the art of bookmaking, writes mr. I think of my work as being commissioned by commissioners, rather than by clients. A genius of book design creates a tome with no ink wired.
Conceived as a single project eenwerk one work and irma boom office ibo are connected allowing for. A small book in a big career, published on august 8, 2010. A thorough reflection on a books content leads boom to her design decisions. Boom begins each books design by making small scale models. Furthermore, boom finds that making a small book is more difficult than making a big book, and being fearless when it comes to rethinking the boundaries of what a book can be is essential to her. Irma boom the architecture of the book 20 catawiki. Boom has been described as the queen of books, having created over 300 books and is well reputed for her artistic autonomy within her field. It is her aim to enhance the readers understanding while at the same time creating an object of beauty, with quality and permanence.
Biography in books, university of amsterdam, 2010 irma boom uses the dutch opdrachtgever commissioner rather than klant client. The architecture of the book irma boom, mathieu lommen, john a. Sep 22, 2015 when it finally came out after a process of four years, the response was overwhelmingly positive, and the book has since become booms own manifesto for a book. Booms work also includes special editions such as her recently produced. Irma boom born 1960121515 december 1960 in lochem, gelderland, netherlands, is a dutch graphic designerwho specializes in book making. Boom has designed most of her books with creative freedom in. The youngest ever laureate to receive the prestigious gutenberg prize for her complete body of work, she has 50 books in the permanent collection at moma and has been the recipient of numerous other awards. In 1991 boom founded irma boom office, which works nationally and internationally in both the cultural and commercial sectors. Conceived as a single project eenwerk one work and irma boom office ibo are connected allowing for interaction between the diverse set of spaces they share. The book is pages and 5 cm thick, a nod to the perfumes name. Irma boom was born in 1960 is an amsterdambased graphic designer specialising in book design. Boom deconstructs and rebuilds the book through a careful selection of everything from size, binding, paper type, typography, and even scent. Aug 09, 2010 irma boom recently took on a challenge. The classic book cant escape that and is now feeling it.
Sep 02, 20 irma boom the distribution of information has always been dependent on its changing form. Boom has designed most of her books with creative freedom in her designs. Boom introduced the idea of a fat book overtly thick. Irma boom is an amsterdambased graphic designer distinguished in making books. A genius of book design creates a tome with no ink.