Penguin Random House New Zealand
Award for Best Illustrated Book 2022

Finalist

Designers: Cover: Anna Brown with support from Matt Law.
Interior: Anna Brown. Bee diagrams revisions: Matt Law

Title: Conversātiō — In the company of bees
Publisher: Massey University Press
Format: 230 x 170mm, 272pp. The book is coptic bound, allowing the book binding to be visible (this is important when thinking about how the apiscope and beehive was made visible in a gallery context). The book comprises multiple paper stocks, using high gloss for the opening photographic work, cream stock for the essays with photographic work, a coloured stock for the text excerpts on bees and a screen printed sakura cloth French fold dust jacket.

The format of the book is relatively small for its scope, akin to a compendium rather than the coffee-table book. It is designed to be held and read — inviting a deeper engagement with the text and images.

Typography: Tiempos and Untitled Sans, Klim Type Foundry (by New Zealand designer Kris Sowersby)