Description
Kosmos
Jan von Holleben
Six variably-sized softcover books housed in a printed and folded portfolio box; object 28.5 x 36.5 x 3 cm; 144 pages total; 73 color and tritone images
Weight: 1 kg
2017
ISBN 978-3-944630-01-4
Printed in Germany by Little Steidl
Kosmos
Jan von Holleben
“I once ruled the worlds. Not just one, but many. I ruled them with mirrors and lenses. I ruled them with light and shadow and time. Sometimes I ruled with a trick of the eye. Through my camera, an entire kosmos took shape, and each world within it seemed to operate by a certain unfamiliar logic.” – Jan von Holleben
Kosmos is a collection of visual puzzles for the connoisseur of photography. Drawing from his lifelong fascination with homo ludens, the human being who learns through play, Jan von Holleben takes inspiration from Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities and creates six imaginary worlds of his own – a system of planets, if you will – each constructed of ordinary objects that are transformed through the optical tricks of photography.
Read more under “Technical Details”.
Kosmos
Jan von Holleben
Six variably-sized softcover books housed in a printed and folded portfolio box
Planeta Symmatrius:
15 x 21cm (6 x 8 in.) trimmed page; 30 x 21cm (12 x 8 in.) open
48 pages; 30 color images
Planeta Visumbra:
27.5 x 18cm (10 x 7 in.) trimmed page; 55 x 18cm (20 x 7 in.) open
16 pages; 7 double-page color images
Planeta Microidi:
27.5 x 36cm (10 x 14 in.) trimmed page; 55 x 36cm (20 x 14 in.) open
28 pages; 13 double-page color images
Planeta Florala:
21 x 28cm (8 x 11 in.) trimmed page; 42 x 28cm (16 x 11 in.) open
24 pages; 11 double-page color images
Planeta Phantafulgeo:
23.5 x 31cm (9 x 12 in.) trimmed page; 47 x 31cm (18 x 12 in.) open
16 pages; 7 double-page color images
Planeta Isolametro:
27.5 x 18cm (10 x 7 in.) trimmed page; 55 x 18cm (20 x 7 in.) open
12 pages; 5 double-page color images
First edition: 350 copies
Materials: The book paper is ProfiBulk 1,3 115 gsm, a wood-free, coated paper with pH >7 measured according to ISO 6588; cover paper is Gmund No Bleach 300gsm, a pH neutral paper; portfolio box is pH neutral KöhlerBox S Color (brown) with a linen band closure.
Printing: The books and covers were printed by Nina Holland on Little Steidl’s Roland 200 offset-lithographic printing press using a four-color process for the books and a graphite grey ink for the book covers.
Stitching: The books were stitched by hand using a modified double-running stitch; stitch lengths are customized to the centerfold image and thread color varies by book.
Concept and work: Jan von Holleben
Editor: Nina Holland
Book design: Nina Holland
Texts: Jan von Holleben and Nina Holland
Scans, color correction, and separations: Nina Holland / Little Steidl
Production, pre-press, printing, and binding: Nina Holland / Little Steidl
