Kluger Hans #46, “HET DIER”
Cover of #46 with blue paper saddle
Kluger Hans is a unique literature magazine with a rebellious edge that gives beginning talented writers a change to get published. Each issue has a specific theme that drives the selected content and its graphic translation. Issue #46 focuses on “HET DIER” or “The animal”.
“Kluger Hans is named after a horse that was said to be able to do math, so we should do something with a horse, right?” Of course. “What about saddling the magazine?” Of course. Using die cutting and one printing colour, we designed a paper saddle to fold around the magazine, just like a dust jacket. At first glance, you see some kind of rounded dust jacket, but once you open the magazine, the stirrups become visible and you start to understand the shape. Readers can choose to leave the ‘saddle’ around their copy of Kluger Hans, or unsaddle it so it can graze freely in their bookcases.
For the interior, it’s the animals from an art installation by Felipe Muhr that made the magazine come together. They appear here and there between the horizontal lines of the Granblue font, providing some necessary pops of colour and surprise. The complete arrangement of the installation is on the verso of the cover, showing the true scale of the cardboard figures. Muhr’s work is combined with tapestries by artist Elen Braga, which are also appearing throughout the magazine.
Title page with logo illustration by Cara Haverbeke. Kluger Hans was the name of a famous horse around 1900 that was known for its counting skills. Here you can see the stirrup that is folded around the paperback.
The back cover. The names of all the authors in the magazine are stitched together in Granblue.
Title in Nonplus on the spine. The names of the authors run over the spine from back to front or front to back.
The paper saddle that covers the magazine. The two stirrups are folded around the paperback cover. On the front and back of the saddle the magazines logo (banana shaped form) was cut out. Granblue was chosen for this magazine because it resembles the stitching around a leather saddle when used in a long string.
The table of contents provided a perfect opportunity to weave all of the artists names together with the Granblue.
Inside the text is set in the GT Alpina. Titles are set in Granblue with a variety of cardboard animals by Felipe Muhr popping out of the font’s horizontal lines.
Art pieces of Elen Braga compliments Felipe Muhr’s work. Here you can see an interview with the artist.
