This wonderful little design artefact was created by the late, great Ian Noble. It's self published and I believe was created for his Masters work at Brighton. Part puzzle and part intellectual exercise - it's a lovely design object. One of the things I love about it is its visual patina. It's only a two colour print job but through the use of found ephemera, rubber stamps and stickers it manufactures a rich and intriguing look and feel. Its very design stimulates the reader to enquire, to investigate what it is all about. Very much a labour of love, with each copy having a uniqueness through the many hand crafted elements. This is one of 150 copies.
I was an undergrad when I first met Ian and was lucky enough to have him as a tutor. He opened my mind to many ideas, from 'pataphysics to the necessity for designers to take responsibility for their work, not just the design but it's also it's effect on the world. He taught the importance of ethics in design and how the things we create always have an agenda and an influence - there are always politicised, whether we accept it or not. Sadly, Ian passed away two years ago this January, but I'm sure for everyone that he touched his influence is still very much at play and the design world is a better place because of it.
