Liu Xiaodong Art Catalogue for Lisson Gallery

The art catalogue on Liu Xiaodong‘s exhibition “Shaanbei” (Lisson Gallery New York, 4 May – 10 June 2023) encapsulates the Chinese artist’s profound exploration of modern life in the historically-rich Shaanbei region. Xiaodong’s subjects are often youths left to their own devices, idle adults and nostalgic elders, all existing in a transitioning society.

Studio Bergini, a London-based graphic design Studio led by Italian Francesco Corsini and Norwegian Kristian Hjorth Berge, curated the production of this complex art catalogue building on their previous work with the artist back in 2018.

The art catalogue’s aesthetic recalls the dramatic contrasts present in the rural, yet highly developed areas depicted in Xiaodong’s work. The paper selection, a tactile mix of coated and uncoated papers, features a very expressive colour narrative. Francesco Corsini, co-founder of Studio Bergini said: “In this instance, we derived the colour palette from the paintings and selected footage from the documentary produced by Xiaodong. The concept aligns closely with the aesthetic of a rural setting, where earthy tones collide with the presence of artificial ones.”

The cover, screen-printed and foiled, is on Materica, one of Fedrigoni’s signature uncoated tactile papers. The three essays by Xiaoyu Weng, Curator at the Art Gallery of Ontario; Hou Hanru, curator and former Artistic Director of MAXXI, Rome; and Barry Schwabsky, art historian, are printed on Woodstock Betulla, a freckled uncoated paper in tune with the rest of the publication, which also features the uncoated off-white Arena Natural Rough for the sketchbook sections.

As a disruption, the choice of Constellation Snow Tela Fine 200 gsm with its canvas-like embossing for the title pages was intentionally created to provide moments of rest between sections and mimick the texture of the artworks. “Our intention was to evoke a sense of temporary separation, like partitions often found in exhibition spaces. We thought that the canvas embossing was somewhat obvious, and we liked the feeling of it being a bit fake.” added Francesco Corsini.

The Swiss bound with an exposed spine for this art catalogue was chosen to allow the book to open flat, emphasizing the landscape-oriented works without the refinement of a hardback. The exposed spine added a touch of rawness, aligning with the concept of the cover resembling a Gucci tracksuit, a protagonist in many of Xiaodong’s paintings.

Notably, this art catalogue won the 2023 Most Beautiful Norwegian Book Award. 

Book photos:@francescospallacci