UNIFORMISATION DU MONDE

“L’uniformisation du monde” is a project around Stefan Zweig’s text of the same name, a bilingual French-German composition that critiques the global trend in the 1920s towards standardized lifestyles. 

In response, I curated an iconography using Steve McCurry photographs, whose work offers a fresh and critical perspective to the text. McCurry’s photographs capture the essence of each subject, narrating its story through direct eye contact with the viewer. This approach highlights the uniqueness of cultures and individuals, offering a contrasting view to the somewhat negative tone of the original text and shedding light on certain aspects.

The layout is divided into two distinct sections : one for the 
text and another for the images, symbolizing an evolution 
in thought. The text section is further divided into three parts – French, German, and notes – separated by a small circle representing a change in language. Despite the interruption, 
the circular shape ensures a fluid reading experience. The photo section is strategically designed to visually evolve from the text. Initial images portray generalities, gradually delving deeper into the subject’s gaze, revealing their singularity.

This layout implies an evolving thought process facilitated by various interactions, such as the interplay between French and German, the dynamic between text and image, and even the progression within the series of images.
Book Design