Amor Mundi is an extensive two-volume publication that presents a selection of over 400 works of modern and contemporary art from the collection of Marguerite Steed Hoffman from Dallas, Texas – a private collection that will eventually have a public purpose. Published by Ridinghouse, the book brings together responses by over 30 writers, historians and artists, alongside the artworks collected by Marguerite Steed and her late husband Robert Hoffman – from the likes of Louise Bourgeois, Tacita Dean, Jasper Johns, Maria Lassnig, Steve McQueen, Gerhard Richter and Cy Twombly.
The design concept reflects the current custodian of these beautiful objects, resulting in a publication that has a sensitivity to type, colour and materials. The delicate nature of conversations within the collection is brought to focus through the design of the publication, reflecting the personality of the woman who assembled it. Careful consideration was paid to the typographic detailing, including a crescent-shaped table of contents and quotations that form illustrations, in a nod to Steed’s extensive collection of illuminated manuscripts and concrete poetry. The cover and slipcase typography takes more direct inspiration from the artworks by concrete poets held within the collection.
We also designed a suite of packaging for the book, including a tote bag, a set of postcards and a wrapping paper that features the timeline of art movements and artists within the collection.
Read more about Marguerite Steed Hoffman and the motivations behind the collection in a profile published in The Financial Times.
