This project was conceived as a satellite exhibit for the Rosenbach Library and Museum in Philadelphia. The exhibit would be located outdoors in the nearby Rittenhouse Square park, a popular area with high foot traffic. The purpose was to spread awareness of the museum and attract new visitors to the main location.

 

I decided to focus the satellite exhibit on two of the most famous and recognizable authors featured in the Rosenbach’s collections, Bram Stoker and Lewis Carroll. Because of the museum’s large holdings of original manuscripts and first-edition printings, I based the design of the two separate pieces on old-fashioned hardbound books, updated with brighter color schemes and more modern graphic treatments.

 

The whimsy of the floating, oversized books is increased by three-dimensional, layered illustrations on one side and on the other by panels raised off the surface of the “page” and details cut into them. The bases are made of bronze bands that hearken to the hardware detailing of vintage leather tomes while the curved shape adds a more contemporary element of playfulness.