Jenny Saville
Jenny Saville
Book
The publication was designed to accompany the exhibition of painter Jenny Saville at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. In her depiction of the human form, the distinctions between living, breathing bodies and their painted representations begin to collapse. Her work reveals a deep intellectual and sensory awareness of how the body has been represented over time and across cultures.
“If there is a narrative, I want it in the flesh.”
— Jenny Saville
Saville’s work transcends the boundaries of both classical figuration and modern abstraction. The design is inspired by this juxtaposition between ancient medium and modern life. We chose a classic typeface to develop a contemporary layout. The calligraphic serif typeface’s contrasted details have a human quality. Using white space, large quotes are ‘sculpted’ on the page and punctuate the paintings. The artworks fill up the space to the edges to reveal their monumental scale and volume. By contrast, the cover is wrapped in a fragile and smooth bible paper jacket.
Published by Gagosian and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Essay by Lucy Askew
2018
