The illustrations in this beautiful publication gave rise to considerable consternation among the jury members. Are these original drawings, or is it an illusion? The effect of the ink, which shines through from the other side of the page, including signs of daily use (is that a coffee cup ring we see?) was so convincing that for a moment we really didn’t know. It turns out to be an illusion – of course, because how otherwise could you get these pages to be exactly the same in every book. Which is a bit of a shame; but on the other hand, the trick has been pulled off so cleverly that we can’t call this anything other than a (printing) tour de force. A number of critical notes were heard from the jury, however: wouldn’t it have been better to choose a less literal translation? In addition to the illustrations, the jury were greatly impressed by other stylistic decisions. The typography is classic, the choice of paper good, and the chocolate brown endpapers contribute to the polished, well thought-out overall impression. The attractive rounded spine is a technical masterpiece. This is without doubt a book of prose for the real afficionado. Yet another example of how a book of poetry or prose can be elevated to another level by greater attention to design and materiality.
Abdelkader Benali
Nietszeggende feiten
Edition: 2022
Date of publication: September 2022
Language: Dutch
Final editor: Henny van der Eng
Image editor: Tessa van der Waals
Illustrator: Abdelkader Benali
Publisher: Stichting De Roos, Amersfoort
Available through: inschrijving / subscription
Graphic designer: Tessa van der Waals (Amsterdam)
Lithographer: Zwaan Lenoir (Marco Kokkelkoren), Wormerveer
Printer: Zwaan Lenoir, Wormerveer
Binder: Agia, Amsterdam
Size book block (w x h x d in mm): 130 x 210 x 8 mm
Number of pages: 104
Print run: 175
Font and foundry: Arnhem (Type by Smeijers)
Binding style: A form between paperback and flexo binding: the book block is sewn and joined to the cover by partly glued endpapers, with rounded spine and overhang, cold-glued
Paper for interior (grammage): 90gsm E)S 2.0, Lessebo Design Smooth 1.2 Natural, Ipea
Endpapers (grammage): 130gsm Napura® Kepera 1048 Chocolate, Winter & Company
Material cover (grammage): 270gsm Environment Wrought Iron Raw, Igepa
Special features: Cover printed in black, silver foil on cover (Foilco 6007) (Agia), interior printed in CMYK and black