Darağaç_Book
Design Studio, Collaboration
16,5×23,5CM. 142 Pages
2016
Darağaç_Book serves as a documented archive of events and collaborative works presented by the Darağaç Art Collective in Umurbey, İzmir, spanning from 2016 to 2019. The publication compiles contributions from Zeynep Yavuzcezzar, who also served as editor, alongside Borga Kantürk, Mert Yavaşça, and Güzden Varınlıoğlu, offering textual reflections on the collective’s interdisciplinary practices. Functioning as both a record and an artistic object, the book bridges textual and visual narratives to encapsulate the community-driven ethos of the collective.
With dimensions of 16.5 cm by 23.5 cm, the design prioritizes tactile and visual coherence through deliberate material choices. Printed on uncoated book paper, the publication emphasizes a raw, organic quality, mirroring the grassroots nature of the collective’s activities. Typographic elements further reinforce this duality: the Turkish text employs Inter, a neutral and legible sans-serif typeface, while English sections utilize IBM Plex Mono, a monospaced font evoking technical precision. This contrast subtly reflects the intersection of local engagement and global discourse within the collective’s work.
The layout’s structural framework derives from abstracted lines of Umurbey’s map, embedding a geographic identity into the book’s visual language. This cartographic reference not only situates the collective’s projects within a specific locale but also metaphorically charts the interconnectedness of its collaborations. The fragmented yet cohesive design mirrors the dynamic, non-linear progression of artistic interventions documented within the pages. By integrating the neighborhood’s spatial logic into the book’s architecture, the design becomes an extension of the collective’s site-specific approach, where place and practice are inextricably linked.
As a physical artifact, Darağaç_Book embodies the Darağaç Collective’s commitment to collaborative processes and contextual storytelling.
LANGUAGE: Turkish & English
EDITOR: Zeynep Yavuzcezzar
TEXT: Borga Kantürk, Mert Yavaşça, Güzden Varınlıoğlu
TYPEFACES: IBM Plex Mono by Mike Abbing, Inter by Rasmus Andersson
PRINTING AND BINDING: A4 Ofset, İstanbul
PRINT RUN: 500
