Antonin Artaud – Book series

Branding & Digital Design

Blurry photo of the 3-part book series by Antonin Artaud

The three-book series delves into the world of Antonin Artaud, a prominent French actor and playwright known for his impactful plays and thought-provoking philosophies.

Each book mirrors a distinct phase of Artaud's life journey: his influential play The Cenci, his confinement in an asylum, and his post-institutionalization period. The design of these books captures Artaud's psyche and the surreality of his works.

Year

2014

Services

Book Design, Book Design, Art Direction

Industry

Arts & Culture, Theatre

Top view of the three covers of the book series by Antonin Artaud

Detail shot showing the open book binding

The design seeks to immerse readers, highlighting the contrasts within Artaud's world. These volumes mirror his essence, blending sturdy exteriors with delicate interiors. The cover is screen-printed Finnish machine wood cardboard, boasting a rugged, substantial feel against the softer, open-bound inner pages.

All the books in the series employ textured, woodfree and unbleached high-volume paper. The tactile sensation of the hand-torn page edges heightens the readers' experience, engaging a deeper sensory level, much like the theory behind the Theatre of Cruelty.

Detail shot of the book cover of Theatre of Cruelty

PART 1/3: THE CENCI

In The Cenci, Artaud navigates the tragic tale of Italian nobleman Francesco Cenci and his family, delving into themes of incest, parricide, and cruelty.

Double page spread showing a green coloured portrait of Beatrice Cenci

The cover and image of Beatrice Cenci features a sickly green hue, conveying feelings of envy, greed, and toxicity.

Double page spread of the half-title of The Cenci

Double page spread showing the characters of The Cenci

Double page spread showing the first chapter of The Cenci

01 /03

Double page spread showing the duality in Typography used in The Cenci

The design distinctly portrays Francesco Cenci's dialogues in Knockout font to emphasise power and domination, while family exchanges employ the humanistic typeface DTL Documenta.

Narrow side margins move the layout closer to the hand-torn edges, indicating the family's perpetual fear of tyranny and control, intensifying the narrative's unsettling essence.

PART 2/3: LETTERS FROM RODEZ

Letters from Rodez encapsulates Artaud's correspondence during his confinement at the psychiatric clinic in Rodez. Artaud wrote this collection while undergoing electroshock and art therapy for schizophrenia treatment.

Double page spread showing a blue coloured image of the clinic Rodez

The book's design choices, symbolising this period, include a blue book cover and a clinic photograph. Blue signifies communication, trust, and loyalty, mirroring the content's nature.

Double page spread of the half-title of Letters from Rodez

Double page spread of the table of contents of Letters from Rodez

01 /04

The sizable margins and condensed Knockout font heighten the feeling of confinement.

The ample space around the text emulates a sense of restriction, while the font's tight, compressed style intensifies the feeling of being constrained within the book's boundaries.

Front view of the book Theatre of Cruelty held by two hands

PART 3/3: THEATRE OF CRUELTY

This book continues Antonin Artaud's journey after his release from the asylum in Rodez. It is a collection of theatrical theory, letters, poetry, and his controversial radio play from 1947. The Theatre of Cruelty method aims to intensify the impact on the audience through violent and vivid experiences.