The Promise of Happiness

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In the autumn of 2023, the Royal Sculpture Gallery at the Old Orangery of The Royal Lazienki hosted an exhibition of sculptures by Maria Papa Rostkowska, one of the most interesting Polish sculptors of the 20th century. We were invited to design the accompanying exhibition catalogue.

Exhibition curators aimed to extract the collection of marble sculptures from historical and stylistic contexts, allowing the sculptural workshop, material finishing, and the artistic form's relationship with space to come to the forefront. Maria Papa Rostkowska's art was her way of finding solace in dramatic life experiences, a kind of search for happiness. The artist's greatest love was white marble. Consequently, we proposed an elegant catalog format, with a modern layout full of contrasts.

The design concept for the publication aimed for an exterior that was "quiet" yet perfectly executed, just like Maria Papa's marble sculptures—smooth and flawless, while simultaneously bold and daring on the inside, paying tribute to the strength and character necessary for working in stone.

The publication is concealed in an entirely white case, featuring the sculptural figure embossed on the front using a 3D matrix. One of the artist's quotes is embossed on the back. Only upon the initial opening of the catalog is the viewer exposed to a striking burst of color.

In developing the layout, we focused on playing with the scale of typography, alternating text justification forms, as well as using light and strong color contrast. In the exhibition catalogue section, we utilized allonge spreads to create ample space for showcasing exhibition photographs. To break the order dictated by the Suisse Int'l typeface, we employed the distinctive Salo font to guide readers through key quotes.

The publication was awarded in the 2022/2023 Excellent Editorial Book Contest.