The Ukrainian charity book Behind Blue Eyes has been shortlisted for the international competition Best Book Design from all over the World, organised by the German Stiftung Buchkunst. According to Chytomo, the shortlist includes 21 books from 12 countries, including Ukraine, Germany, Japan, China, Latvia, and Portugal.
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Behind Blue Eyes is a project that supports children affected by war. The publication includes film photographs taken by children from the frontline and de-occupied territories during 2022-2024. The photographs are accompanied by stories, reflections and personal experiences of the authors from expeditions in the North, South, and East of Ukraine.
The project was created in collaboration with Readellion Publishing (Maria Dyakova and Heorhii Vyhranovskyi). The design and layout were developed by Havhav bureau, founded by Maria and Volodymyr Havrysh. The book was published in 2024 by Kolo Publishing House.
This is not the first time Behind Blue Eyes has been recognised: in December 2024, it received a Special Mention for ‘Sense of Material’ from the jury of the Best Book Design competition at the Book Arsenal International Festival.
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