Paris artist wins NGV art and design book prize

Paris-based artist, architect and filmmaker Marc Johnson has won the inaugural Cornish Family Prize for Art and Design Publishing for his book fecund lacuna / lacune féconde, published by French publishing house Analogues.

The award, which honours excellence and innovation in art and design publishing from around the world, was announced at the Melbourne Art Book Fair at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV).

fecund lacuna / lacune féconde presents photographs of archaeological sites collected by the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research and photographs of an art installation by Johnson alongside ‘anthropological and philosophical essays’.

NGV director Tony Ellwood described the winning title as ‘an outstanding example of art book excellence and innovation’, while the judging panel commended ‘the way it weaves complex ideas about art, science and archaeology into an engaging, well-designed and high quality publication’.

Johnson received $15,000 for his winning title, while five finalists also received $1000. They are:

• Episodic Urbanism (Peter Elliott, Uro Publications), designed by Stuart Geddes
• Nicholas Mangan: Limits to Growth (Monash University Museum of Art and Sternberg Press), designed by Žiga Testen
• The Gentle Hand + The Greedy Eye: An Everyday Baroque Practice in Architecture (Rachel Hurst, self-published), designed by Catherine Griffiths
• SPECIALISM (David Blamey, Open Editions), designed by Jonathan Hares
• House is a House is a House is a House is a House: Architectures and Collaborations of Johnston Marklee (Reto Geiser, Birkhäuser/Johnston Marklee/Reto Geiser), designed by MG&CO, Noemi Mollet & Reto Geiser.

The winner and finalists were chosen from close to 200 entries from around the world.

The Melbourne Art Book Fair runs from 16-19 March.

For more information about the prize, click here.

Category: Local news