Following Moscow Conceptualists

Contents:

Initially, the Shaltai Editions team was looking for a specialist capable of working at the intersection of various disciplines, such as industrial, graphic, and exhibition design. The project required creating a folder concept, developing its graphic design, as well as a booklet and pavilion for the Cosmoscow exhibition. Anya Naumova, co-founder of the Sample auction, recommended me. I have always had an interest in all three areas, and Anya noticed this. In collaboration with Shaltai Editions, we developed two archives - NATI II and NATI III.

Maria mentions that the gallery gave the designer complete autonomy in decision-making. His task was to design a folder-object, which was to include from 8 to 10 works of art, executed in various formats.

The collection included works by famous artists such as Nikita Alekseev and Taus Makhacheva, with the number of copies of each work limited to thirty. The design project was entirely custom-made. Maria shares her impressions of the design of two different editions:

In NATI II I standardized the print folders and placed them in a suitcase I designed. Inside were prints, a booklet, and gloves, distributed in compartments whose height corresponded to the height of the items themselves.

In the third edition, Maria chose a format in the form of a stepped structure:

Since the third NATI archive chose the theme of narrative, at our first meeting we came to an agreement that we would try to preserve the original volume of each of the presented works.

The formats of the works vary, and it would be impossible to place them otherwise.

“The basis of the concept that I chose was the principle of distinction between works of art - not by style, but by structure. I sought to reflect this principle in all three design media with which I managed to work. You can't see the latest work without removing the previous ones—it's impossible because of the screws. The plexiglass used to make the folders is coated with a layer of translucent white, which makes it difficult to see the graphics until the lid is open—the outlines remain blurred."

Maria also created the easily recognizable blue stand at the Cosmoscow contemporary art fair.

“The same approach is observed in the exhibition area. The artists are represented by identical blue panels, but the design of each participant's work has a unique structure, and the text associated with them interacts with this structure in different ways.

Maria shares her thoughts on how she chose Metal fonts from Pizza Typeface for the design of the brochure and exhibition area.

"The choice of graphic language and font is largely determined by materials such as glass and metal. These materials possess a brutal aesthetic, rigidity, and independence. While they may seem indifferent, there is a uniqueness to them." — Maria Rudakova.