TOTEM

This is a book about totems. This book, in and of itself, is a totem.

It is a book of inspirations that inspire, a document that reveals the source of creativity for various artists and creators.

Totem is the book for OFFF Barcelona 2019, the legendary international festival that explores a wide range of themes spanning design, creativity, and technology.

A totem is an object or symbol of power. A totem is a guide. An emblem that finds us, and we find it. It is meaning made tangible.

Whether we’re aware of it or not, whether tangible or intangible, we all have totems.

Totem is a living testament where artists, creators, and dreamers share these entities: talismans, spaces, memories, rituals, workshops… A collection of objects laden with symbols that reflect and inspire us.

The book was conceived as a multidimensional experience—to be read, leafed through, or simply felt. The design draws inspiration from the deep, organic roots of our surroundings and from the spiritual and creative connection that exists between our world and our very being.

For the design, we created a system of organic symbols for each chapter. The black border on each page frames an open, white canvas for the artists, through which we aim to be as unobtrusive as possible so that color and form take center stage. The black cover features an embossed logo—a texture that invites us to look beyond what meets the eye.

This book is a starting point for creation. It is a totem that we all build together and that will surely continue to be shaped by whoever owns it; this book is a totem we share, and it is the first spark of something incredible.