Spineless Classics looks at the book in a different way; printing whole books in poster form as works of art. I caught up with Carl to talk more about the inspiration behind the company and what we can expect to see…
FSM: What made you decide to print whole books in this way?
Carl: A friend of mine prints architectural drawings. I was watching one come off the plotter one day and was struck by the contrast between the large sheet size and the tiny text on the measurements. I wondered aloud what would happen if the entire sheet was covered in that small font and, after doing some sums on the back of an envelope, came up with a rough estimate of 100,000 words on an A0 sheet. This is an average novel length. Ta-daa!
FSM: I love the idea of stripping a book back and displaying it in this way, did anything in particular inspire you?
Carl: I’ve always loved to read; when I was very young I once appeared in the living room with piles of books piled up on each hand and a magazine under each foot and announced to my parents that I was “Book Man”. The fact that Book Man had to shuffle along the ground and couldn’t use his hands for anything was entirely secondary to the glory of being associated with high literature (I’m pretty sure The Very Hungry Caterpillar was top of the left pile). It’s this enthusiasm for slightly impractical yet awesome uses for great works that drives me to this day.
FSM: Do you have a particular ethos for Spineless Classics, how do you choose which books to print in poster form?
Carl: I had to draw a few lines in the sand so I always do complete texts (frankly, I don’t see the point otherwise) and I don’t do designs that have text too small to read. I also keep the paragraphs and chapter headings so that people who really know a book can find their favourite passage. This also has the pleasing side effect of showing off the general “shape” of the book, as it drifts from short dialogue to lengthy description and can be quite illuminating in its own right. As regards selecting books, obviously popular classics make good business sense but I’m also drawn to works that are fun or just favourites of mine. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is unlikely to be on the A level syllabus for a while yet!
FSM: I bet it takes ages to print?
Carl: To perfect a good layout can take a while, yes. The Great Gatsby was a total disaster and took several days as I pinched and stretched the design so that the Spirit of Ecstasy on the car was clear, and various bits of formatting weren’t stretched across gaps. It was trying!
FSM: What is your favourite book?
Carl: I’ve loved a great many books over the years but the Hitchhiker’s Guide series spring instantly to mind as having the greatest impact on my reading habits. One English teacher was moved to mark a piece of creative writing I did aged 12 with the note “10% by Carl Pappenheim, 90% by Douglas Adams”. I’ve been talking to the agent for his estate and I’m really hoping to collaborate with them on a design next year.
FSM: Have you ever read a book printed in this way? I imagine it holds more of a design purpose…
Carl: Haha, yes! At the Ideal Home exhibition we had a particularly slow Tuesday and I started reading Gulliver’s Travels right off the wall. I will admit, by the time I was about a third of the way down column 1, I had a splitting headache! They’re not really designed to be read in their entirety- I think people who love a book will just enjoy knowing that it’s all there, radiating its brilliance onto everyone in the room.
FSM: I find the posters have a strong artistic value, where do you see them being displayed?
Carl: One of my favourite resellers is the V&A museum in London. They have a couple up in their book shop – cum – wine bar next to South Kensington tube and they look just wonderful. They’re colour-neutral and work well as understated art pieces wherever they’re hung.
FSM: What are you working on for 2012?
Carl: Ah, that would be telling! Now that we’re launched in South Africa and Australia I’ve got my feelers out elsewhere. Regarding the prints, I’m collaborating with some new designers which should broaden the appeal of the graphics and we’re looking to license some really exciting new works. I just don’t want to jinx it by talking too soon!
