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Being
by Kahuda
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The significant contemporary Czech novel, featuring a carefully crafted design by KLIMSZ. The visually striking cover, deliberate typography, and thoughtful interior layout enhance the reader's experience and reflect the book's existential themes. High-quality materials and a subdued yet impactful color scheme further underscore the novel's literary depth and complexity. The integration of both analog and digital photography in the illustrations makes this book a truly distinctive creation.
Project
Details
Bytost by Václav Kahuda is a notable work in contemporary Czech literature, uniquely enhanced by KLIMSZ's intricate design. The book features a blend of analog and digital photography in its illustrations, creating a visually striking and thought-provoking presentation. The deliberate typography and interior design elements, such as chapter headings and graphic illustrations, complement the novel’s existential and philosophical themes.
Challenge
Creating a standout novel that combines readability with exceptional quality and unique illustrative techniques presents a significant challenge, exemplified by the project for Václav Kahuda's Bytost. As one of the leading authors in contemporary Czech literature, Kahuda's work demanded a design that matched its literary excellence. The project aimed to make the book not only easy to read but also visually distinctive, setting it apart from other publications.
Goal
Klimsz team faced the challenge of incorporating both analog and digital photography into the book’s illustrations. This approach provided a unique aesthetic that resonated with the novel's existential and philosophical themes. The cover art was designed to be visually striking and thought-provoking, using abstract and surreal imagery to intrigue potential readers. The typography and interior design were carefully chosen to ensure a comfortable reading experience. Deliberate font choices and thoughtful layout, including chapter headings and occasional graphic elements, provided visual interest without overwhelming the text. High-quality materials, such as durable paper and binding, were used to give the book a sense of permanence and underscore its literary significance. The subdued yet impactful color scheme enhanced the mood of the book, aligning with its themes while ensuring readability.
Result
Overall, the project successfully created a novel that is both accessible and outstanding, combining top-notch literary content with innovative design techniques to produce a truly unique publication, which was very well received by both experts and the general public.
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Several years later, we met Václav again for another project for the literary biweekly magazine Tvar, where we photographed him as one of the main ambassadors. The resulting photographs clearly reflect Václav as he truly was. Václav Kahuda passed away on July 24, 2023.