Archival Reader Ivo & Razija

In collaboration with the Museum of Literature and Performing Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, this project involved the design of two archival readers dedicated to Ivo Andrić and Razija Handžić. Built entirely from original materials preserved in the museum’s collection, these books reveal lesser-known stories and present archival heritage in a contemporary, accessible format.

Market

Link

https://mkpubih.com/

Year of production

2025

Project duration

4 Weeks

Overview

The goal was to design the cover and interior layout for bilingual (Bosnian and English) archival publications that would stand apart from conventional biography books. The design needed to reflect the museum’s identity while making historical content engaging and relevant to modern readers, including tourists and younger audiences.

Process

To avoid traditional biographical aesthetics, the design was approached through a modernist brutalist lens — aligning the books with contemporary museum visual culture. This positioned the publications as cultural objects, bridging archival past with present-day visual expression.

The core challenge was filtering and structuring extensive archival content into a clear and engaging narrative. Through a strong grid, typographic hierarchy, and deliberate pacing, the layout balances authenticity with readability, making complex historical material approachable.

Outcome

The publications successfully expanded the museum’s visual language into editorial form and brought archival stories closer to contemporary audiences. The books were officially presented at the Winter Book Festival and will be featured at the Sarajevo Book Fair, receiving highly positive public and professional feedback.

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