PORTFOLIO: Critical Selection 2021–2022

PORTFOLIO – is a biennial publication of the leading Irish contemporary craft and craftmakers who practice in a “world-class context”. This book is published and distributed by Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) in order to increase awareness and understanding of top Irish makers and their work, particularly among Irish and international collectors, galleries, commissioning bodies and museums. Due to both the audience and positioning of the selected makers involved, the publication design demanded expertise in the “design and craft of book design” and that the book itself as an artefact is an appropriate complement and showcase for the stunning portfolio of makers and work featured.

With such visually rich and appealing sources the occasion of the publication presents us as designers an opportunity to conceive and create a beautiful “container” that focuses on, and accentuates the, meticulous craft, design and material qualities of the artefacts.

This was achieved in the 2021–2022 edition through use of the generous format (for large format presentation of images), a mix of paper stocks (gloss White and uncoated Grey) and printing techniques. The book is printed in 5 colour and 2 colour sections with Copper metallic and Midnight Blue inks. Additional accent colours/inks (fluorescent and pastel) appear on the 4 page cover.

The central typographic design concept/motif features on the dust-jacket. Printed in Black and Copper metallic inks on a semi-transparent (trace) paper, the dust-jacket creates visual ‘play’ with the partially obscured (but vibrant/graphic) images on the cover boards beneath.