Jackets (John Gall)

This is a book of collages. The collages are on the backs of dust jackets. This book of collages made on the backs of dust jackets is also a collage. How can that be? It’d be easier to explain if you were here and we could look at this together. But you should also know that this book of collages made on the backs of dust jackets that is also a collage is unbound—which means you can reshuffle it to make your own collage of collages made on the backs of dust jackets.

This book of collages was made by John Gall, the creative director for the publisher Alfred A. Knopf, who designs and over­sees the design of hundreds of book covers each year. In an effort to forget what he knew about design, in 2008 he began to make collages for his own pleasure. While collage had long been part of his work as a designer, this book is not related to a design problem. It is simply about seeing what might happen when something is added, taken away, or both. A stunning meditation on an jackets, books, collage, and collaging.

Also: See the other work from John we offer »