Poster for Exhibition
Whole Book Cover
Nietzsche speaks about a 'herd mentality', simply he uses this to refer to people who act as if they were in a herd. He mainly criticises Christianity for upholding and fostering a herd mentality. Like a herd, Nietzsche see's Christians to be docile and condemns their instinct to follow. He argues that contemporary society is doomed to fall into nihilism because of the values Christianity holds.
Nietzsche believes that the notion of a God has arisen because of man's need for comfort rather than a desire to seek the truth. In the first chapter of the book Nietzsche argues about how humans favour untruth over truth. We tell ourselves a lie rather than living in reality.
The use of sheep to represent the herd was a conscious decision. Sheep have a strong instinct to follow the sheep in front of them. When one sheep decides to go somewhere, the rest of the flock usually follows, even if it is not a good "decision." For example, sheep will follow each other to slaughter. If one sheep jumps over a cliff, the others are likely to follow. Even from birth, lambs are conditioned to follow the older members of the flock. This instinct is "hard-wired" into sheep. It's not something they "think" about. This is similar in some respects to Christianity, Nietzsche criticises them for not questioning their religion.
The sheep was also chosen to represent the herd because of its symbolic meaning to both Nietzsche and Christians. As previously stated Nietzsche see's Christians as sheep for their more detrimental qualities. Christians, on the other hand see the sheep as a symbolic representation of 'God's people'. Exactly like Nietzsche they refer to themselves as sheep but for completely different reasons. They view being a sheep in a positive light because they are subservient to God.
Sheep are mentioned in the Bible more than 500 times, more than any other animal. The prominence of sheep in the Bible grows out of two realities. Sheep were important to the nomads and agricultural life of the Hebrews and similar peoples. Secondly, sheep are used throughout the Bible to symbolically refer to God's people.
The colour green has been chosen to represent the pasture that the sheep are on. A lightish vibrant green has been chosen as this makes both the black and the white stand out. The green is refreshing and immediately makes the design look
contemporary. It makes the book look more interesting by lifting the overall brightness.
Whilst the colour and sheep pattern create a contemporary feel, the type maintains and reflects the classic book. The typeface Goudy was selected for this book because it perfectly reflects Nietzsche's philosophy. The book was written in 1886, at a time where philosophy was seen as an interest and subject for the elite. The typeface emanates a strong sense of class, affluence and antiquity. The ampersand especially draws the eye in creating an interesting central focal point.
In the way of stock, I have chosen Fine Linen from G.F Smith. The stock's texture is similar to that of an old or classic book. The stock will also help to reflect the books traditional qualities.
A dust jacket format has been adopted rather than a paper back style. This means that all the information fits on without breaking the pattern or making the page too heavy. The information is a lot clearer and easier to read once broken into two separate sides. Using the dust jacket has also allowed more information to be included.
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