Irma Boom: Book Activist – Boom on Books
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Irma Boom: Book Manifest. image / provided
Abstract
In this engaging talk, renowned Dutch book designer Irma Boom explores the evolving craft of bookmaking and its enduring relevance in today's increasingly digital world. Boom delves into the intricate processes behind designing books, emphasizing the tactile, sensory experience they offer in contrast to the ephemeral nature of digital media. She discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by digital technology, reflecting on how it has reshaped our relationship with printed matter while also examining the unique qualities that make physical books a timeless medium for storytelling, art, and knowledge.
Biography
Irma Boom (1960) is a bookmaker based in Amsterdam. Boom studied fine art and graphic design at the AKI Art Academy in Enschede. After graduation, she worked for five years at the Dutch Government Publishing and Printing Office in The Hague. In 1991, she founded the Irma Boom Office, which works nationally and internationally, mainly in the cultural world. Boom is not only the designer of the books but also works as an editor. She has created over 500 books and is known for her artistic autonomy within her field. Her bold, experimental approach to her projects often challenges the convention of traditional books in both physical design and printed content. For five years (1990–1996), she worked (editing and concept/design) on the 2,136-page book SHV Think Book (1996–1896) commissioned by SHV Holdings in Utrecht. The Think Book was published in English and Chinese. Since 1992, Boom has been a senior critic at Yale University in the U.S. and gives lectures and workshops worldwide. She has been the recipient of many awards for her book designs and was the youngest ever laureate to receive the prestigious Gutenberg prize for her complete oeuvre. Boom's books are in the permanent collection of MoMA New York, Art Institute Chicago, Vatican Library, and Centre Pompidou in Paris, among other institutions. The Special Collections of the University of Amsterdam collects the complete oeuvre and archive of documents in the so-called The Living Archive. In 2014, Boom received the Johannes Vermeer Award (the Dutch state prize for the arts) from the Minister of Education, Culture, and Science. The jury unanimously awarded Boom for her unparalleled achievements in the field of graphic design. Boom is an honorary Doctor of the Royal College of Art in London for her inexhaustible contribution to the book.
