Inspired by the twentieth-century Hungarian poet Miklós Radnóti’s lyrical cycle titled Calendar, book designer Éva Somogyi has created a beautiful pop-up book named after Radnóti’s book of poetry. Following the theme of changes seen in nature throughout the calendar year, Somogyi designed twelve paper compositions that open up to three-dimensional spatial pieces when reading and opening the pages.
Each design element in this 3D poem-book is linked to the main theme – the changes and movements taking place in nature with the seasons passing by. The small paper creations reflect the atmosphere and cyclical nature of the seasons in a clear but lyrical and sensitive way – like the poems it selves do. The light and airy look is in great contrast with the strong and elaborate structure, creating a dialog between the text and illustration.
Except in case of the typography Somogyi consciously used no colors in the book but the lights, shadows, and contrasts which occur when the pop-up elements are opened create a smooth harmony of „colors”, with a different color for each fold.
It’s not the only pop-up book Somogyi has created and it seems to become somewhat of a specialty for the designer. What I most appreciate in her work is the attention to detail, the clever use of laser cutting technique, the layers which bring deepness to the design and the bold simplicity.
Photos via Éva Somogyi Behance