Heard Museum | Maria & Modernism Catalog

OVERVIEW

The intricacies of beautiful artistry brought to life.

SERVICE

Catalog Design
Photograph Retouching
Production Management
Print Management

The Heard Museum’s exhibition Majestic Figures, features the exquisite collection of contemporary sculptures created by female, Native American artists using techniques passed down generation to generation.

These soft sculptures are figurative references to Indigenous peoples from the Great Plains and Great Basin regions who lived in those areas during the late 19th century.

The exhibit and catalog celebrate the beauty and detailed craftsmanship that includes intricate beadwork, decoration with quillwork, and the use of microbeads, hide, hair, feathers, fur, shells, metal, wood, ribbons, and other materials to bring the soft sculptures and their incredible stories to life.

The outstanding collection of sculptures was generously donated to the Heard Museum by Charles and Valerie Diker. These contemporary sculptures were made by five master artists: Rhonda Holy Bear, Jamie Okuma and three generations of Growing Thunder family members: Joyce Growing Thunder, Juanita Growing Thunder Fogarty and Jessa Rae Growing Thunder, Ph.D.

TYPOGRAPHY

Dramatic contrast with a contemporary look.

The Majestic Figures catalog features a combination of fonts. Minion was used for body copy and Minion Display with its more dramatic contrast in thick and thin stroke weights and finer serifs worked well at larger sizes including the cover title art. Pairing these with a san serif font, Pill Gothic, provided a few complementary design features. First, it created a visual contrast with the serif font and adding a visual hierarchy throughout the book. Second, the multiple weights of Pill Gothic allowed for variation of its use in both upper and lower case, along with all caps. Lastly, including a san serif created a more contemporary and modern typographic design aesthetic which aligns well with the Heard brand.

All Gallery Photography by Craig Smith

PHOTOGRAPHY

A detailed view from all perspectives.

Stunning photography, and how it was utilized, was key to this catalog design. The sculptures are brought to life through the images. While the exhibit displays 23 sculptures, the catalog visually highlights them through multiple photos in various formats – full view, displayed from multiple angles, and shown in extreme, close-up detail – all enhancing the reader’s experience. This also reinforces the individual sculpture’s physical dimension, Indigenous cultural reference, and fine accouterment detail.

The cover image, “Interview with a Warrior,” was selected for several reasons. First, it communicates the ‘majestic’ theme with its depth of detail and intricate decoration on display. Additionally, the image and book title visually pair well together in size and shape to further emphasize the title theme.

CATALOG DESIGN

Appreciation for craftsmanship and materials.

The design approach gives ultimate prominence to the soft sculptures; allowing them to ‘tell their individual stories’ as representative figures from important points in time. The utmost importance was given to feature the detailed handwork and intricate use of materials which provides the viewer with an opportunity to expand their appreciation of the artist’s vision and craftsmanship. The photos provide “wow” moments while the text conveys the generational traditions passed down, the design process from concept to creation, and the craftsmanship and dedication involved to bring the figures to life.

On the interior pages, the narrow and tall two-column structure echoes the vertical format of many figures featured in a standing position. This allows the typography to align with the images and reinforces the ‘majestic’ theme.

Hardcover, 128 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-934351-18-8