31. WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY
The Not so Cute and Cuddly exhibition catalog is chock-full of disturbing images: mutant stuffed animals, sexualized Barbies, and melted dolls. Designer Dominik D’Angelo, who works at Wichita State University, set these images against a clean layout punctuated by fairy-tale fl ourishes, including decorative pink drop caps and pages of small polka dots. This design approach, like the exhibit itself, creates a tension between an idealized view of childhood and the darker perspective presented within these individual pieces of contemporary artwork.

When she put the catalog together, D’Angelo wanted to create a good rhythm and fl ow as readers fl ipped from one piece of artwork to the next. She placed the provided photography on a table and spent a long time looking at the images and rearranging them while she listened to The Cure and Miles Davis. “The music provided the rhythm and atmosphere I wanted to achieve,” she says. “I wanted to create the enchanted melody that draws you in.” And as compliments about the book from several of the featured artists prove, D’Angelo managed to create a design that enhances the artwork without taking attention away from it. Michelle Taute