Shanghai

Faceout Studio recently returned from Shanghai. 4th year running. Planning film documentary in 2012.

Since 2008, Faceout Studio has been invited by the Shanghai Press and Publication
Administration to participate in China’s annual competition, “The Beauty of Books
in China” as both a judge and event lecturer. Torrey Sharp visited Shanghai in 2008
giving three lectures and visiting a prominent book design studio in Beijing. Charles
Brock has returned each year since then as both judge of their annual book design
show and lecturer.

Over these last four years, we have had the privilege of meeting and getting to know
many amazing Chinese book designers. We have seen their beautiful work, visited
many of them in their studios and homes and met their staff. For the top designers
in China, books are seen as objects of art. The level of innovation in graphic design,
package design and materials has been very inspiring to observe, especially in this
digital age. While we celebrate advancements in the digital book reading experience,
we strongly feel the printed book will remain a cherished storytelling device
and keepsake. In fact, a recent article published on December 3, 2011 by Julie Bosman
in the New York Times mentions that in this age of e-books, publishers are
paying more attention to the physical beauty of books and catching the attention of
buyers that care not only about reading but owning something beautiful.

We are currently in pre-production on a film documentary to be shot in November,
2012 that will feature their annual book show and its entries, various book designers
and their work and various binderies and printers. We hope to distribute this film to
American book designers and to art schools through various partners.

We look forward to sharing more with you later in 2012 about the film project.