My graphic interpretation of Paul Auster's “The New York Trilogy” is the graduation project accomplished in Book Design Studio led by prof. Maciej Buszewicz and his assistant Rafał Buchner at Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.
The New York Trilogy consists of three different novels based on a cliché of good old detective fiction. Each part is a “hide and seek” game between the protagonist and
the target of investigation. Even though the stories seems to be unrelated, they fuse
in some points. And these points I found the most interesting.
the target of investigation. Even though the stories seems to be unrelated, they fuse
in some points. And these points I found the most interesting.
I created the system of markers for each part of Trilogy.
All fragments important for City of Glass are separated by paragraph rules
Those significant for Ghosts are marked with square brackets
Fragments related with The Locked Room are indicated by small black squares
The real challenge was to create a kind of code to navigate betweend the books.
Instead of inventing a new type of marker, I decided to rethink book's page numbering.
That's why the first part starts with page 1001, the second with 2001 and the third
with 3001 – first digit stands for the volume and the three following for page number.
Running heads indicate the timeline
In each part the reader is given a look into investigators' notebooks, diaries and letters. Not only they are indicated with another marker but also distinguished by slightly wider text column.
Whole story is full of intertextual links hidden in characters' names.
They are marked just as references to Wikipedia articles so
the reader could discover them on his own.
In all three parts reader comes across mugshots, missing announcements or passport profiles of the same two men. What is more some of pictures can be seen only by joining two or a three books. It is never told which one should be a dective and which should be his target.
Some of the pictures can be seen only by joining two or a three books
Books' dust-jackets are divided maps
The first two combines into one map of New York City. The third one presents
Boston which is crucial for the ending of the trilogy.
Covers are made of black cloth and rough cardboard.
All dust-jackets were silkscreen-printed.
