Rage & Desire is a limited edition printed zine by Turin-based Artificio studio for arts platform Spazio Griot, featuring poems by ten Bipoc poets and writers from Italy and the UK who responded to the prompt of ‘rage and desire’ by expressing their struggles for equity, equality, racial and social justice. Spazio Griot is an independent nomadic space that platforms multidisciplinary experimentation, exploration and discussion. Rage & Desire contains a foreword by the organisation’s artistic director Johanne Affricot and Inua Ellams, and an editorial by poet and artist Wissal Houbabi. The zine was presented on the occasion of the Spazio Griot Rage & Desire R.A.P Party at Palazzo delle Esposizioni museum in Rome, in October 2022.
The zine is designed to express the coexistence of the emotions of rage and desire, which may seem conflicting but are ultimately intertwined. The concept is conveyed visually through the use of typography and paper, creating a sensory and emotional experience for the reader. The cover, made of grey paper – rough like stone – creates a surprise contrast with the orange book block, meant to evoke feelings of ferment, rage and desire.
The entire book is printed in black, playing with positive and negative, where Fedrigoni Woodstock Orange paper plays a fundamental role. Characterised by its smooth texture, the paper allows the accentuation of contrast with the cover, both visually and tactilely.
