15. UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN
“In a sense, we can think of the magazine as a stage where a play is performed. If the stage merely houses a series of plays—without lighting, costumes, sets, and music—then the play always looks the same. But with lighting, costumes, sets, music, etc., put into the mix, the presentation becomes a resounding and diversified piece of art in itself; the script becomes a play. We intend to take full advantage of the possibilities of our stage.” Jennifer Gunji embodies the role of creative director as her literary publication, Ninth Letter, embodies the message she so eloquently relays.

In fact, the Spring/Summer 2005 issue’s brown sack-lunch cover looks a little bit like a script. Open it and view Gunji’s metaphor realized. Floral upholstery patterns crashing into landscape headings crashing into pixilated organisms and suddenly … a perfect poem printed on a stark-white background. It’s bold, innovative, and personal.

Gunji explains with pride that acquiring this collage of styles and themes is a direct result of the diversity of her design team: “It is wholly a cross-disciplinary student/faculty collaboration that materializes in a professional product.” The designers pull quirky and unique ideas together ranging from traditional text and layout to an installation art piece in the center of the magazine. The Ninth Letter team’s goal is successful in that the aesthetic exchange is equally as strong as the literary experience. If the momentum continues at this rate, by next year Ninth Letter may even have audio … or magic.
Rebecca Tierney