Category: Typography

Absolutely Beethoven

Concept, Graphic Design, Typography

Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s 2014 Absolutely Beethoven
Concert featuring new Chief Conductor, David Robertson.

The design brief required a focus on Beethoven’s influence over the musical program, as well as advertise David Robertson’s first concert as chief conductor. Each letter of Beethoven’s name contains an image; starting with a childhood portrait, the series continues through to a posthumous statue and evokes the immortal breadth of the composer’s work.

STRAVINSKY Symphony in Three Movements
ADAMS Absolute Jest
BEETHOVEN Symphony No.7

“A vibrant, dancing symphony by a classical master gives us the foundation. But Beethoven’s Seventh is there for another reason as well: John Adams’ Absolute Jest takes its inspiration (and its musical ideas!) from the late Beethoven quartets. It’s like Beethoven that’s been passed through a hall of mirrors, says Adams, and the result is a turbo-charged showpiece for string quartet and orchestra. And Stravinsky enters the picture because he, too, liked to take the music of other composers and make it his own.”

http://www.sydneysymphony.com/production-pages/2014/concert-season/absolutely-beethoven.aspx

Conquerors of the World

Graphic Design, Personal, Typography

Four inspiring stories of exploration, adventure and discovery.

Included are the real-life tales of french hero Jeanne Baré, the first lady to circumnavigate the world… whilst dressed as a man; Matthew Flinders’ much loved travel companion, Trim the cat; the rapacious Spanish Conquistadors’ search for El Dorado; and the amazing survival of Ernest Shakelton’s crew on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.

The stories take shape over four booklets. Each cover is adorned with a historical map relating to the adventures within. The booklets’ spines were stitched on my home sewing machine and sit snug inside a folder. Outside labels are hand-printed and tied with string. Illustrations through out the book are my own interpretations of traditional cartographic elements, including rhumb lines and compass roses.