Exhibition Catalogues
A particular sensitivity to artwork or artifacts.
Toelke Associates has designed numerous exhibition catalogs, projects that call for a particular sensitivity to the subject, whether artwork or artifacts. Our interest in these subjects helps us present the content in an appropriate design and typographic framework that enhances the reader experience and showcases the visuals. We’ve worked comfortably with digital files of artwork from museums such as the Metropolitan Museum in New York City and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. In addition, we’ve produced catalogs for art galleries and auction houses.
CHARMED
Sienna Gallery 20th Anniversary Exhibition
In celebration of her Twentieth Anniversary, gallerist Sienna Patti invited 80 artists she had worked with over the years to participate in a special exhibition. Artists were asked to create two commemorative charms: One charm became part of a massive charm bracelet, now in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and the second charm was available for sale. Toelke Associates helped to realize an accompanying 100-page full-color book detailing the project. As a nod to jewelry’s personal scale the book was designed specifically in a small format. Each photo was carefully edited and reproduced larger than life so that, despite the intimate size of the book, each piece was able to shine.
HANDLED WITH CARE
The Function of Form in Shaker Craft
Toelke Associates was asked to consult with the curator at Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to design and produce this important 96-page exhibition catalog. The catalog features an array of iconic Shaker items — carriers, textiles, brushes, cooperage, metal, baskets, domestic woodenware, storage boxes, and special use objects, all related for the exhibition through their handles or knobs.
The visuals include period illustrations, photographs, and documents. Many of the object photos, of which there are nearly one hundred, required extensive hand silhouetting to give emphasis to the handles and to maintain a lively presentation. The catalog’s typography echoes the nineteenth-century heyday of Shakerism. There are several general essays and an introductory page to each group of items. The catalog remains a visual encyclopedia of the Shaker’s commitment to the beauty and integrity of everyday useful items,
THE STARS AND STRIPES
Fabric of the American Spirit
Toelke Associates was asked to design and produce this 96-page exhibition catalog presenting the spectacular Pierce Collection of American Parade Flags. The hardcover catalog is illustrated with over 150 full-color images of American flags, documents, ribbons, and other emblems, with notes and associated documents from the collection. Work on the book included extensive silhouetting of the photos, creation of section title pages, and a carefully considered page design to showcase the flags, objects, and descriptive text.