The about publishing fair is organised in the Hochschule Mainz every two years, giving publishers from the art and design scene the opportunity to present themselves and sell their publications. Every time a different theme is chosen behind the fair, making the 'about' about something. This year we decided that it should be about making, focusing on the process behind creation and thinking about how we can get visitors to make themselves. So how about making?
Apart from participating in the organisation of the fair, I was responsible for the creation of the orientation system. The system led visitors to four specific areas: Toilette (=toilets), Leseecke (=reading corner), Essen & Trinken (=food and drinks) and breaking talks, which was a stage where talks took place. Each area was associated and connected with a specific shape. The water-like shape of '~' led one to the toilets, while the '.' to the reading corner used as dots following words in writting. The '+' symbol was connected to the food and drinks area working as a symbol for extra energy, while breaking talks was followed by '»' signifying direct talking, just as quotation marks do. The words were placed on the stairs being visible to visitors just as they enter the building. The stairs made the letters seem kind of folded, following in this way the corporate identity of the fair.
