A Journey of Art Through Paper and Time
A collaboration between Friesens Corporation, Carter del Garda, Art Institute of Chicago and Anikó Szabó Design.
A Journey of Art Through Paper and Time, a paper sample book created for Friesens Corporation—an internationally renowned Canadian printing company known for exceptional books—represents the pinnacle of fine art reproduction on a four-colour press.
Friesens embraced my vision for a simple, sensory-driven approach, resulting in a true collaboration between concept and execution. Every detail was meticulously refined through problem-solving discussions to achieve excellence at every stage. Featuring professional photographs of original artworks from the Art Institute of Chicago—one of the world’s premier galleries—and premium papers from Italy’s Cartiere del Garda, the book exemplifies the seamless synergy between paper and artwork.
More than a showcase of Friesens’ expertise, A Journey of Art Through Paper and Time is a vital sales tool, empowering their sales team to connect with galleries across North America and demonstrate their ability to reproduce fine art books with unmatched precision. 2024
“Anikó, I think the project turned out amazing, largely due to the design work you put into it. The sales team was so please with the final book.”
The Art Institute of Chicago provided professional photographs of each artwork in the book and collaborated closely with Friesens Corporation to achieve a highly challenging, colour-accurate reproduction on the press. Photographs: Grajewski Fotograph
A stunning colour palette was inspired by the book's cover painting. Friesens' technicians worked closely with Anikó and refined the CMYK levels to minimize ink use while preserving the purity of each colour.
The book's introduction highlights the expertise of its three partners: Friesens Corporation, Cartiere del Garda, and the Art Institute of Chicago.
The hardcover is elegantly printed in a dominant colour from the Georges Seurat painting featured on the cover.
The bottom of each page includes detailed paper specifications—whiteness, shade, finish, and opacity—highlighting the impact of each on the print quality.
The book showcases eight paintings from the Art Institute of Chicago, each repeated across eight sections. Each section features a different Garda paper stock, demonstrating how print and ink interact on various materials.
Silver foil enhances the cover’s quality, adding artistic brilliance while highlighting the textured depth and elegance of Garda matte paper.
To highlight the book’s focus on art reproduction, the stunning oversized dust jacket features a detail of Georges Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, cropped but life-sized in scale.