Irma Boom

text and image roberto voorbij

The exhibition ‘Irma Boom: Biography in Books’ at the Special Collections Department of the Library of the University of Amsterdam ran until October 3. For who missed this retrospective, which already for the personal and just perfect presentation was worth visiting, a short visual report. Narrowed down to the top piece of the exhibition. The now as an icon of ‘Dutch Design’ labeled SHV book.

SHV Think Book 1996-1896.

SHV Think Book 1996-1896.

SHV Think Book 1996-1896.

SHV Think Book 1996-1896.
‘Look for the unusual’ was the commission Johan Pijnappel and I got from Paul van Vlissingen. A jubilee book to celebrate the companies 100 years anniversary. The first project we got carte blanche, total trust and freedom! 5 years research and design! I continued working with Paul until his death in 2006. We have made about 20 books.

Process SHV Think Book 1996-1896.
The black book is the Chinese version. The yellow notes are the endless corrections!

Process SHV Think Book 1996-1896.
More models: how fat can the book become -> industrially made?
The book has 2136 pages and 89 signatures this is the English version.

False Flat. Why Dutch Design is so Good.
2004, is Dutch Design so good??