Kännbart [Tangible] is a publication for a research project that explores experiences of art and communication without hearing or vision. The exhibition featured several projects by deaf and blind artists. We were asked to make a publication that could work as a piece that would drive people to the adjacent site and that in itself would be an art object too.As a starting point, we knew that we wanted to make something that was out of the ordinary in several ways. We decided to make a round book as one of the key features in the exhibition was a circular stage. We added a hole to get an extra dimension. The thickness of the publication and the hole in the middle gave it a sculptural feeling.We liked that the book was easy to grab – just like a big, colourful donut.
To make a round book features many challenges. One is to make the pages line up in the way you want. As there are no »sides« to relate to there is no »ups« or »downs«. To solve that, we made all the designs and typesetting circular. On the reverse sides, we designed 40 different shapes that we screen printed with a transparent »sand-like« varnish, creating various kinds of tactile experiences. The entire publication was screen printed on the paper Pop'Set from Arjowiggins.
