Bibliophile edition of exhibition catalogue for Poly-Muse Space/Sound Object Carafon

Bibliophilistic version of the catalogue to the legendary 1970 exhibition Polymúzický priestor I. – Socha, objekt, svetlo, hudba (Polymuse Space I – Sculpture, Object, Light and Music) by Ivan Štěpán, to this day undervalued intermedia artist and graphic designer, is unparalleled in Slovakia. 

Štěpán, who exhibited his Optipolytón I./Testačný priestor (Optipolytone I/Testing Space) – an impressive environment in form of a public pavilion with musical and light production at the Polymuse Space, co-created also the graphic design to this event. 

Štěpán's catalogue gives instructions, calls to action, makes jokes and parodies. It is basically a plastic box concealing an “experience kit” for reading and perception of the exhibition realised in parks and exteriors of the town Piešťany by sight, hearing, and touch. 

The box contains expected parts, such as the exhibition catalogue, but all the rest is very special and surprising – foremost, the object Karafón, a miniature electronic organ with malicious key A/Au, under which lurks a spiny thorn like the one waiting for the Sleeping Beauty.

Viera Kleinová ● SNG Collection display Design Unpacked