Hicks’s art as depicted in this book consists of small textile works, often smaller than A4, generally cotton, linen or wool, sometimes with paper as a base. They have wonderful names like Paso Doble, Amor de l’Ama and Egelantiersstraat: names that often refer to the place of and source of inspiration for their creation.

The book’s general design is clear and sober. Abundant blank areas provide the space for the objects illustrated, each of which tells its own story. The printing is superb, the photography likewise. The substantial bulking of the paper is well suited to the artworks. The whole thing radiates unity. The cover too is white, with a cloth pattern embossed into the paper as if one of the fabrics had left its shadow. The typography is very small on the front cover, very large indeed on the spine.

The way the book block has been finished is sheer brilliance. The coarse contours of the weaves are echoed in the rough, ragged edges and the panel could only conclude that here the book block had been attacked with a saw. Sawn edges, then, rather than the usual cut edges. Probably not worth a special entry in the publishing industry’s glossary though.

Gold medal, Best Book Design from all over the World, Leipzig 2007