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book (design) story #388

eugen gomringer:
worte sind schatten / die konstellationen 1951-1968

e. rowohlt verlag gmbh, reinbek bei hamburg, 1969
printer: offizin paul hartung, hamburg
size: 23 x 16 cm
designer: max bill (jacket)

this book is another collaboration between "concrete poet" eugen gomringer (*1925) and "concrete artist" max bill (1908-1994) – more about their relationship in story 86. the jacket design by max bill is reminiscent of some of his paintings composed of circle segments.

bill's crossword-style play with the book title (words are shadows), author's name, and publisher's name tries to catch the idea of "visual poetry" – although gomringer doesn't use circular setting of text.

gomringer (like bill) prefers all-lowercase wherever possible.

gomringer calls his poems "constellations".

this section contains texts in spanish, french, english, and swiss german.

on the right a funny swiss german poem about the swiss, aptly expressing their reserved, safety-conscious mentality!

a different copy of the book is signed by gomringer, with a contour drawing of his hand.