The initial brief for this autobiography provided no constraints other than it needed to not appear like a MONA publication.
The author, David Walsh, is a famous eccentric Australian art collector and gambler who opened his private art gallery, Museum of Old and New Art (MONA, www.mona.net.au) in 2011 in Hobart, Tasmania. It has attracted over one million visitors since. The main themes are sex and death. The exhibitions show contemporary and antique art in an unrepeated way. He has a unique, multilayered and subversive writing style, so this book had to reflect his personality. Working closely with the author provided me with the opportunity to find the perfect visual representation.
A modern typeface, Maiola, was chosen which brings together old and new, just as David does with his art collection and architecture.
A heavy paper stock, a gold spot-colour and a hardcover was selected to evoke the grandeur of David’s fairytale story.
The autobiography was published by PanMacmillan/Picador in October 2014.
Nadine Kessler is a designer and design consultant based in Berlin, Germany. After her studies of visual communication in Switzerland and RISD, Rhode Island School of Design (USA), she worked as a lecturer in advanced typography, facilitated climate change resilience workshops and is working worldwide as designer with a focus on clients in the cultural sector, museums, artists, sailing and design companies.
Nadine received several awards, including AIGA 50 books/50 covers, Vitra Design Museum Fellowship, IDA Design Award Gold, PICA Awards Gold, Australian Autobiography of the Year