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Toko x 4,176 Pages
February 7th 2012
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Dutch expats from the now Sydney based creative practice, Toko (featured in Edition Four) have just announced the completion of an undeniably impressive and exciting project. Designed specifically for the Chinese International Design Competition, which this year pays tribute to the year of the Dragon, the team has created a colossal book titled ‘Long Story Made in China’. Case bound and measuring 286mm high x 171mm deep x 245mm, the volume comprises an unbelievable 4,716 pages celebrating each year of the Dragon since it’s supposed origins in 2697 BCE.
‘Long Story Made in China’ is incrusted with divinely executed details such as pristine gold foils, a bold red linen cover, unique digital foils and five red satin ribbons: inserted every 1,000 pages to symbolize each featured millennia. With this project, Toko aimed to convey a conceptual interpretation of the complex and vibrant history of the Chinese Dragon but the finished product surpasses that objective. The monumental hardcover not only embodies the unique and enchanting spirit of China and her history but also demonstrates the way in which visual design can capture and portray philosophies that extend far beyond simple aesthetics. A victory for Toko and the creative world, ‘Long Story Made in China’ is well worth a look.
Here is an excerpt from their press release:
"As part of China’s 2012, year of the Dragon celebrations, Sydney based design agency Toko was invited by the China International Design Competition Committee to judge the first ever annual design competition in Beijing last September. This competition, hosted by PoloArts, AIGA and Beijing Design Week in conjunction with the Capital Museum of China, aims to promote communications, exchange and interaction between China and the World.
Besides judging, Toko, as part of an international group of judges including renowned designers; Brian Collins (USA), Jianping He (Berlin/Beijing) and Kan Tai-Keung (Hong Kong), was invited to create an original design or artwork for the world-class ‘Chinese Dragon Exhibition’ which opens on 23 February 2012 at the Capital Museum of China.
To grasp the story of the Chinese Dragon and spark the imagination required to create the artwork, Toko participated in ‘Dragon’ specific tours, workshops and discussions, and whilst still in China quickly came to the realisation that creating an original Dragon piece would be a daunting task. The Chinese Zodiac, being an integral part of Chinese culture and society, both young and old, takes on mythical proportions, furthermore complicated by the accessibility of traditional and contemporary Dragon examples.
Toko decided to capture the sheer scale, complexity and history of the Chinese Dragon in a book. A monumental but foremost conceptual interpretation of the Dragon. The book celebrates every Dragon year since it’s supposed origins in 2697 BCE, based on the most widely ‘tolerated’ myth.
The 4,716 page book carries the title ‘Long Story Made in China’. ‘Long’ as in the rich culture, cultivated over thousands of years, and ‘Long’ as in the Chinese word for Dragon (Long story / Dragon story). The book (edition 5) should be seen as a paper sculpture and is a tribute to Chinese culture by western interpretation.
To succeed in creating this mammoth project, Toko sought a collaborative partner in Sydney’s Digitalpress. The team’s enthusiasm, passion and expertise made the project a reality from start to finish."
A big thanks to Michael and Eva for supplying the information and images — and on completing the job!
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www.toko.nu
www.digitalpress.com.au
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To read our complete interview with Toko about their work for Dutch Fashion Here & Now, you can purchase Edition Four is available in our online store here.
