Myriad Ways of Being

Visual artist Simone Albers (1990, Nijmegen) is fascinated by the universe. In colorful, flowing landscapes - filled with galaxies, organic forms and black holes - she depicts the invisible structures of the universe. The publication Myriad Ways of Being ~ Being of Myriad Ways, with contributions by Loes van Beuningen, Susan Peeters, Sabine Winters and Wouter Engelbart, shows how Albers makes the invisible visible and makes connections between all life on earth. As winner of the Sieger White Award 2022, Albers was given the opportunity to realize this book, along with a solo exhibition at Galerie Maurits van de Laar in The Hague. The award aims to support young, talented artists from the east of the Netherlands in their development.
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Photography
Peter Cox, Tommy Smits, Koen Kievits, Johannes Schwartz, Aalt van de Glind, Marc Elisabeth, Dana Dijkgraaf (book)
Graphic Design
Dana Dijkgraaf
Design Printer
Graphius
Texts
Stijn Geutjes, Loes van Beuningen, Susan Peeters, Sabine Winters, Wouter Engelbart
Editor
Mirjam Westen
Copy editing
Mirjam Westen, Eleonoor Jap Sam, Simone Albers
Translation
Beverley Jackson
Publisher
Jap Sam Books

Concept
The design of the book reflects Albers’s love of the universe, nature and science. It had to feel both earthy and ethereal-natural and raw, yet refined at the same time. Every material and visual choice carries this thought: everything is connected and in motion.

What did we create?
We designed the book with striking, tactile choices: neon yellow yarn for the binding, blue foil on pink paper and a visible recycled cardboard inner cover. The book consists of three chapters-Heavy Meta, Fabric of Reality and Omega & Alpha-each with its own opening page in which typography and artwork interact. The titles are manually adapted, with subtle imperfections that add movement and life.

Throughout the book, dreamy shapes float along the edges of the pages – each uniquely drawn and colored. To create depth, the artworks feature colored shadows, making them even more intensely alive. Each spread feels like a small universe by itself.

Sparkles
This publication captures the cosmic curiosity that so characterizes Simone Albers. From the sustainable materials to the radiant colors and handmade shapes, the book is a tribute to her vision. The Sieger White Award, named for the artist duo Fred Sieger and Helen White, comes into its own here, beautifully supporting a new generation of artists.

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