Beau Bookbinding at the British Library..

Beautiful Science

Attention to all lovers of infographics! ‘Beautiful Science’ at the British Library will both amaze and inform you with an array of scientific illustrations. From geography to taxonomy to demographics, ‘Beautiful Science’ shows us how we have painted the bigger picture with tremendous detail. 

The show has a considered selection of graphics and books, both new and old, presenting graphs and diagrams to help us comprehend the world around us. From geographical trade winds to the ‘Miasma’ mortality rates in London, ‘Beautiful Science’ not only provides an interesting insight into scientific analysis, but also historic documentation for how scientific theories have changed.

The success of these illustrations is their efficacy and their inherent intention to inform at a glance. The data has been designed with clarity and careful arrangement, and the exhibition is a beautiful display of different approaches to presenting information. Some were an abstract representation where as others illustrated an idea like Ernst Haeckle’s drawn response to taxonomy and classification.

If you‘re interested in science, history and design I would recommend visiting this wonderful exhibition. The excellent curation of this exhibition provides a big picture for information graphics and through careful selection provides an interesting context for how and why we analyse.

The British Library
96 Euston Rd, King's Cross, London NW1 2DB

http://www.bl.uk/

Beau Bookbinding with a French laying press..

I thought I would introduce to you our new French Laying Press - it’s a fantastic piece of equipment to round and back books, gild edges and so much more! 

When section sewn, a book can be of a beautiful finish if the spine is rounded and then backed. This process creates shoulders to the text block so there are no hinges between the front cover and the spine piece.  A lot of care and precision is needed, which is made so much easier with a standing press, which can take more of a beating!

I’m sure we will get a lot of use out of this and is a great addition to our bindery.

Beau Bookbinding at The Order of St. John Museum..

Attached to our Clerkenwell bindery is St John’s Gate, home to the Order of St. John Museum, so it seemed natural to pop in and have a look. 

Founded in 1140, the Order of St John is a historic building housing artifacts that bring to life the philosophy of the Order - to serve the sick and those in need. It is a wonderfully well organized and considered exhibition space showing both the formation of the Order and how it has modernised into the St John Ambulance service. The building itself is beautifully kept and has plenty of objects demonstrating the Order of St John’s contribution to the health and care of people across the world both in times of need and as a service to provide knowledge to prevent sickness.

Currently showing at the Order of St John Museum Caravaggio’s infamous painting The Cardsharps and it is definitely worth a look. A popular painter of the time Caravaggio shone a light onto street life in Italy and was well known for his brawls and bar fights. In 1606 he fled Rome after being accused of murder and sought refuge in Malta where he became a Knight of the Order and worked under their patronage painting religious works. 

The story of the painting itself is an interesting one: it disappeared from art historical records after the 19th century until it was not rediscovered until 1985. In addition to this not one but two paintings re-surfaced in this time, both legitimate works by Caravaggio. 

Recognisable in style and temperament, Caravaggio strikes dangerous mischief in his subjects with an expressive use of dark tones and dramatic brush strokes to build momentum and suspense. It is quite interesting to see a painting portraying immanent violence sitting within building that was founded to serve the public. 

The Order of St John is one of the oldest charities in the world and the museum is a concise archive of their humanitarian work. It is well worth a visit not only to see The Cardsharps, but to understand the interesting network of history seen through the Order of St. John.

The Museum of the Order of St John
St John’s Gate
St John’s Lane
Clerkenwell 
London London
EC1M 4DA

http://www.museumstjohn.org.uk

Beau bookbinding at the Royal Academy..

Sensing Spaces

For a bit of adventure I visited the Royal Academy’s ‘Sensing Spaces’, an exhibition exploring experimental architectural forms designed to shape our sensory perception and how we experience a space. There was a great variety of approaches to this idea which I found very interesting. 

With differing contributions mapping the gallery, each architect explores how we experience space through our perception and how we can participate within our environment. Each structure considers a singular stimulus – light, texture, scent, colour and shape – and with this stimulus guides us through the form using tacit surfaces, lighting concepts, kinaesthetic pathways and playful constructions. Suspended in a large space these stimuli are enhanced by the impressive scale and naturally navigate visitors through a series of interactions. Through surprise and anticipation, intrigue and participation visitors experience more than an external stimulus, but a new empirical adventure. 

My favourite space was the dark room with the lights as it was quite an immersive experience. The space had a dynamic order: although organised into lines, the tendrils of light were suspended within by the darkness to create an organic space. This delicate tension was almost hypnotic. 

Other structures included a playful mountain of straws that people could add and take away, causing the shape and size to wax and wane, as well as labyrinthine wooden forms that guide visitors on a maze-like tour. 

So to change your perception of architecture and to exercise your senses visit ‘Sensing Spaces’ at the Royal Academy 25th January – 6th April.

http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibition/4