Naomi's Poem

This project is a collaboration between Tom Sharp – poet, writer and founder of The Poetry of it all and Katherina Tudball, Creative Director at Superunion

In a limited edition of 200 copies, the publication confronts some cliff-edge health news Tom’s sister received in August last year. Through poetry, Tom began documenting the siblings’ emotional journey – as fears, nostalgia, regrets and love became the focus of their conversations.

The size of the book is 230x100mm, portrait.The only immediately readable type is the title and a short introduction on the inside front cover (above)

...as each section of the poem is bound within a French-folded text printed on our lightweight Offenbach Bible 60gsm, meaning that it is hidden from sight and requires the reader to tear the paper in order to read. Below you can see the torn pages revealing the poem.

Click on images to enlarge

‘Naomi’s Poem’, is a single epistolary poem in twelve sections, shared between brother and sister as part of a therapeutic creative conversation.

The text is made from 12x 4pp French folded sections. Below shows one unopened book and one with the torn pages...

Rich with drowning imagery, the poetry is set in 8pt Doves Type, the typeface famously lost under the waters of the Thames for 100 years before being rescued and accurately recreated by Robert Green.

The truly amazing binding is stitching that mirrors surgical patterns. As part of the design process, Katherina and Tom consulted with Fleur Oakes, Imperial College’s Vascular Surgery Department’s Lacemaker in Residence.

Click on images to enlarge

The printing, finishing and binding is by Boss Print who are based in West London and it is truly superb - yes, they managed to sew the book like this! The text is all printed on Offenbach Bible 60gsm and the cover is printed on Colorset Natural 270gsm

This is a highly personal project which has been produced in a truly amazing way. I am very grateful to have received my copy - No 172 of 200.

https://www.superunion.com/
https://www.thepoetryofitall.com/
https://www.bossprint.com/

Posted by Justin Hobson 11.06.2019