Bachelor project
Visual Communication
Academy of the Arts, Bern, CH
Mentoring by
Dr. Alexandra Schüssler
Roby Redgrave
Documentation
Why this theme? Why this approach?
I decided to tackle this extremely personal, layered and complex topic because it concerns me on a daily basis and I feel that I have never before had the opportunity to think about it in a written form and within a similar research framework.
From the very beginning, my thematic choices revolved around the dimension of my earthly experience as a human being with perhaps not exactly common characteristics, both in terms of sexual orientation, gender identity and, more generally, approach to things.
I felt the need to be able to explore these issues in a rather accessible and generalisable way, which is why I decided to use the metaphor of shoes as an entry point. I could then try to offer insights for people in a similar condition to mine, as well as for others who perhaps do not feel affected or are not afflicted by similar issues.Since it was clear to me from the beginning that I wanted to take it out on someone other than myself, I decided to use the Dr. Martens brand as an example of a bad multinational corporation exploiting queer identities for market purposes. Without really knowing what I was doing, certainly in a very naïve and spontaneous but definitely sincere way.
Initial plan which was sent out as a cry for mentorship: definetly ambitious; surely ambitiousSome of the wonderful texts I got to readThese books gave me strength, energy and motivationIt took about 84 sheets of A4 paper between drafts, mistakes and general panicMy favourite part was to correct my text with obnoxious colours directly on page: it made me feel really importantThe infamous letter sent to Dr. Martens®
Mentorship bloody Mentorship
One of the most complicated, nerve-wracking and tedious parts was definitely the search for people who could offer me mentorship.
My campaign started around november 2023 and I contacted something like 20 people, from designers, writers, editors and so on.
My search criteria were mainly focused on FLINTA people from outside our school system, as I felt the need not to surrender to the list offered by the Hochschule der Künste, which was mostly studded with (cis) men and whom I didn't really feel were suitable for such a job. I definitely wanted to find people from our sector with whom I could build a human-emotional as well as professional relationship.
Thanks to the advice of several professors, I had the pleasure of finding Dr. Alexandra Schüssler (on the list mentioned above, ironically), who helped me find theoretical, philosophical and existential insights that were fundamental to the writing of my texts, as well as timely feedback and exchange sessions.
As far as practical mentoring was concerned, I had come to the conclusion that I would not want anyone to accompany me, as I had been emailing in vain for months and was honestly beginning to lose my patience.
Instead, thanks to my stubbornness I finally decided to contact Almanac Press, a self/collective publishing house committed to publishing and promoting Trans artists and writers: hence the response and subsequent collaboration with Roby Redgrave, graphic designer and co-founder.
Thanks to Roby, we were able to discuss layout and execution issues, as well as aspects related to the presentation, distribution and promotion of the book.
All is well that ends well.
Overall process
From the outset, my project involved writing a text in the form of a critical essay with a rather linear but at the same time chaotic structure, so that I could report as faithfully as possible on my flow of thoughts.
I initially intended to focus mainly on discovering the causes of this market gap that did not allow me to find these aforementioned shoes, investigating in an anthropological and almost scientific manner the reasons why they were not produced, especially by the world's leading brands.After trying my hand at Marxist theories for too long, however, I decided to veer the style of my text and bring it back to a purely personal dimension, and as far away as possible from this direction. I honestly did not feel able to produce and offer sufficiently satisfactory results other than simply talking about my experience and what I got out of it.
It has been a rather new process for me, during which I have been confronted with many ups and downs, moments of complete insecurity and hopelessness, and others of disproportionate self-confidence and assurance in my writing skills.
My computer, as well as my phone, are dotted with a multitude of half-finished files, half-translated texts, notes and ideas. I have been very comfortable composing texts, finding a logical thread and trying to bring back the mess in my head in a way that can be (hopefully) understood by others. Overall, I can say that this will not be the last time and that I have learnt a lot.
Visually, the idea of the book was clear from the beginning: my goal was to produce a paperback at the lowest possible cost in order to make it accessible and disseminable and also to stay within the school's budget without going over the limit.
The look Marx gives you when you print out 1’000 pages “for free”Trying sooo hard to make it make senseRight here I was basically grasping for airIt’s in our nature, it gives me chillsI wasn’t feeling all that wellHow many indd files do you want? YesThe actual postcard Dr. Martens® got :)Garfield has been in my life since I can remember
As far as the layout was concerned, I immediately decided to keep a rather classic and straightforward construction, dividing the page mirror à-la-Gutenberg and concentrating on making the text the protagonist. I did not intend in any way to divert the readers' attention and almost disturb the reading process, as I also personally find myself annoyed when graphic designers become too virtuous and forget their ultimate task: to make me read in peace.
Initially, I envisaged a subdivision of the content on different levels of comprehension with the same page grid at the base but diversifications in layout, fonts and colours:
- body text - no special features, simple flowing text
- technical fact sheets - pages designed to go into more detail on certain topics and objects discussed in the book (e.g. ‘Mary Jane’ shoes, rather than the term ‘rainbow-washing’) to enable the reader to obtain further information and clarification.
- ‘garfield’ - a series of panels with compositions containing garfield et co. with the aim of presenting the events from a still different perspective and with purely ironic connotations.
- diagrams - schematic representations aimed at explaining my thought processes and understanding in the form of dots, arrows and flowcharts.
After much deliberation, however, I realised that I was not satisfied with the results, that I would not have enough time to actually delve as deeply as I wanted into these sections, and that I might make digesting the treatise more complicated than necessary.
I therefore decided to throw everything in the bin and simply leave my text. I am convinced it was a fantastic decision. Should I ever have the chance to consider a re-edition, I would then feel more comfortable trying to add elements and more perfectionism but in this case (and seriously, given the timing) less is more.
Given the magnitude of the project, I then realised the full implications of producing a paperback, cost, production time and quantity wise.
Just as I was questioning my entire existence, I uncovered on the internet (instagram) this publishing series that lasted from the early 1920s until around 1978 in the United States, called Little Blue Books: Emanuel Haldeman-Julius and his wife, Marcet, set out to publish small low price paperback pocketbooks that included a series of prose, poems, historical texts, scientific treatises, comic pieces, always offered in the same format, almost always set in the same body and font, and very affordable, with the aim of making the notion of reading, learning and passing on knowledge attractive to the working class.
I was dazzled by the concept and immediately made it mine, trying to replicate the size (3½ by 5 inches) and binding (stapled) using the same idea of utilising a single font with an 8-point body for the entire book (titles excluded), using a coloured cover and trying to produce as many as possible.
My intention in any case remained to focus on the text and nothing more, which is why I found this solution very appropriate, both conceptually and stylistically.
Design choices, formats, paper, font
As mentioned earlier, the book initially looked quite different, had a larger size and sometimes challenging stylistic choices.
I had the intention of producing it in offset and then using a spot colour and then having it paperbacked, thus further delimiting the page mirror.
I finally came to the conclusion that Fr. 500, although a decent sum, is relatively little money to produce a book, all the more so with such characteristics. The intention, therefore, of restricting myself further by opting for an even smaller format and an even more primitive binding became more and more exciting, as it brought me back towards the initial concept of obtaining a cheap and accessible book that could be produced in large quantities.My idea for the font, once the layout process had begun, was again to offer a platform for typefaces from FLINTA designers that offered a very readable serif without punchy or overly conspicuous features. After seeing Samira Schneuwly's wonderful Mule, I therefore decided to contact her and request the typeface. Love at first sight.
For the look and feel of the publication, I based myself on the typical formula of a paperback/textbook, i.e. a semi-cartonised cover and an offset interior with yellowish/natural tones. Given the amount of pages and the limitations of the binding, I decided to opt for a rather thin paper but still with a pleasant tactile feel and not too much see-through.
In the end, I struck a deal with the company that did the printing and binding and still managed to get a paperback binding for a little extra money, even given the fears of Maxime (Le Cric, Marly) who thought that a staple binding would not be able to support the large amount of sheets.
The purple cover is a choice taken spontaneously and initially without too much consideration. However, it definitely relates to the representation of non-binary identities in LGBTQAI+ symbolism, while in broader terms, it evokes characteristics of wisdom and spirituality, two things I could not feel more distant from.
A draft of the abovementioned “garfield” sectionAnother draft of the abovementioned “technical fact sheets”DraftsAn early version of the chapter pages[yes]I <3 neon paperI spent way too much on thisThe final layout in all its glory “The collage”Printing on envelopes is my new favourite activity
I wanted to draw a parallel between the experience regarding my gender identity and the physicality of the book. Normally, the pages begin to be counted from when the actual text begins; similarly, I would feel compelled to start calculating my life from the moment I actually found myself, that is, my transition. In order to symbolise the fact that everything I experienced before that particular point in space-time is still valid and actually happened, I therefore decided to number the pages of the book starting from the front cover and count the total number of pages including every single piece of paper.
Produce as much as possible; and then?
I now find myself with an exorbitant amount of books (100): what should I do with them?
The initial idea was immediately to sell the books in order to make money that could later be donated to charity. Given who I am and the topics covered by the book, it seemed like a no-brainer not to donate the money to an association related to transgender identities based in Switzerland; specifically the Trans Safety Emergency Fund in Berne, the first BIPoC and Trans-lead fund based in Switzerland focused on supporting Trans lives financially.
Thanks to the valuable discussions with Roby, we agreed that the charity discourse is appropriate, valid and necessary. We also discussed how a possible audience might perceive ‘buying’ the book (and then donating) rather than ‘receiving’ the book (and donating first). I think a smart choice is therefore to impose a (generally affordable) minimum donation amount and any higher amount will be appreciated, so as to avoid creating price tiers and especially tiers among potential buyers, making the donation itself the focal point and the book a souvenir.
This is when I decided that my time was more precious than mere cash: I hate coding. I paid the Cargo® subscription and bit my tongue.A dreaming book; a visionOkay okay now I really have to do thisEven though I am not the best at videocalls, I am so glad it worked outWhere and how can I save money? Let’s reduce everythingHow the exhibition should look like?
I then decided to set up a Mutual Aid Pool (thanks to the inspiration from Almanac and their initiative) in order to be able to collect the money myself and redirect it towards the cause. (90% to the Trans Safety Emergency Fund; 10% to keep the project up and running, sustain a possible reprint and perhaps my own practice).
The book can now be acquired during the exhibition as well as via my social channels. I am still considering whether to publish a website about the project but I find myself kind of reluctant, once again given the deadlines and general life issues. The aim is to continue the project with the hope that it will be published by a publishing house.
Final results
“The Box”“The Stack”Stacking upMandatory 0.5x iPhone picture“The Book”Detail from the coverTitle pageInside“The Collage”Bookmarks!A5 postcards – backA5 postcards – front Special thanks to Viktoria Tabone for the pictures.