«Igniting Penguins – A Manifesto for Painting» invites readers on a journey through contemporary art. In this personal essay, painter Rachel Lumsden offers a humorous exploration of the art world, from the eccentricities of powerful art figures and the colourful characters of gallerists to the persistently entrenched gender roles in the industry.
The book embodies the fundamental qualities of painting: colour, texture, and light. The design deliberately eschews images, both on the cover and within. Endpapers printed with special inks glow beneath the cover, which is bound in subtly iridescent grey linen, and the metallic-purple edge gilding shimmers anew from every angle.
The interior is crafted for optimal readability: set entirely in a single typeface with a clear typographic hierarchy. The compact text block leaves ample space for the thumb at the bottom margin, making a slim, tall format that sits comfortably in hand.
«Igniting Penguins» has been awarded «Schönste Bücher Österreichs» (Most Beautiful Books in Austria). Read the jury statement here.
Jury statement for «Most beautiful books of Austria»:
A great temptation for designers is to feign the complexity and substance of a book through design and production techniques. However, glossy cover materials are quickly exposed as «superficial», and coloured page edges as mere «eye candy». Gratuitous colour gradients and hot foil stamping ultimately serve only to alienate readers from the content.
The opposite is true for «Igniting Penguins - A Manifesto for Painting». The designer has succeeded in clothing the calm, well-set text in a contemporary, intelligent, and harmoniously dynamic outfit through precise choice of format and materials, as well as the production methods employed. As a result, the book doesn’t pander to its peers or bewilder with unnecessary design gimmicks. Instead, it stands out and acts – true to the first word of the blurb – as an invitation to explore its entertaining content.
