16 VOLUME
Uneasy Nature kicked off with a client request any designer would be happy to hear: “We don’t want a staid, normal exhibition catalog.” Instead, the Weatherspoon Art Museum turned to Volume to help them make a big impact with limited resources. “The budget was really small,” says Eric Heiman, Volume cofounder. “We had to get really inventive.” So the firm turned to the show’s primary theme—the uncomfortable relationship between man and nature—for inspiration.

The concept plays out in everything from typography to paper choices. On the cover, for example, the book’s title takes on an organic quality as it slides around the spine; it’s a type treatment used throughout the book. Inside, the essays appear on uncoated stock while the exhibit’s artwork resides on glossy paper. This pairing mimics the tension between manmade and natural objects. In another smart move, the design team captured the idea of metamorphosis—also present in much of the artwork—by slowly shifting the typeface from Proforma at the beginning of the book to Gotham at the end. by Michelle Taute

Volume
CREATIVE DIRECTORS: Adam Brodsley, Eric Heiman
ART DIRECTOR: Eric Heiman
DESIGNERS: Eric Heiman, Amber Reed, Madhavi Jagdish
CLIENT: Weatherspoon Art Museum
CONTACT: www.volumesf.com