Katrin von Maltzahn – Japan Guide, 2022
Textem, Hamburg
Format: 15 × 22 cm
Pagecount: 236
Edition: 700
Design: Book Book and Laura Hähnel
Print: Offset print (DZA Altenburg) and Office Offset
A copy can be purchased at: Textem
In spring 2019 Katrin spent two months alone in Japan. It was her first visit to the country. Amazed, surprised, excited and overwhelmed by emotions, her many impressions have led to Japan Guide – an exploration of the country from her artist’s perspective. The book consists of texts and drawings from Katrins journey and subsequent mental excursions to Japan.
Each book is unique. We printed the pencil drawings and the abstract colour pages on the Office Offset press. They feature colour gradients resulting from the cleaning of printing plates and the printing cylinder.
The book was awarded as one of the 25 Schönsten Deutschen Bücher / Most Beautiful German Books 2023
The abstract color pages have been shuffled to ensure each book is unique.
It is rather cleaning than printing, as various solvents and liquids are used to create those vibrant gradients.
Working with Office Offset machines requires creative problem-solving skills. For instance, one can utilize a hair dryer, a vacuum cleaner hose, a camera tripod, and some tape to fan out the paper stack inside the machine.
