The Impossibility of Silence: Writing for Designers, Artists & Photographers

27 August 2020 ● 3 mins read ● 9 images

I have a new book out, published by Onomatopee, called The Impossibility of Silence: Writing for Artists, Designers & Photographers. You can check it out and pre-order it here: https://www.onomatopee.net/product/the-impossibility-of-silence/

The Impossibility of Silence is a 200+ page paperback for creative folks interested in approaching writing about their vocation and culture.

It features illustrations by Ed Fella and Paul Nitsche, as well as myself and others.

The book is edited by lauded art critic and art history professor Taro Nettleton.

It features two-color gatefold colors and the body is printed in black and white. Perfect beach reading!

Within, I write about metaphoric heroes and villains, inspiration, story arcs, structure, and all of the things one might use to construct compelling writing about art, design, or photography.

We've got some great press for this book, as well. Check it out:

“Ian Lynam is the Hunter S. Thompson of design writing.”
– Sereina Rothenberger, Jan Van Eyck Academie

"Lynam adeptly juggles platters of diverse knowledge that include history, theory, philosophy, humanities, and the gamut of pop culture.”
– Louise Sandhaus, author of Earthquakes Mudslides Fires & Riots: California & Graphic Design, 1936-1986

“Lynam is a bitingly humorous writer - gifted with the intuition to give stories depth.”
- Lars Harmsen, Slanted Magazine

“Joyfully and skillfully straddling the line between creator and critic, theorist and practitioner, formalist and rebel, American and expatriate, serious analyst and humorous deconstructor, Ian Lynam always brings a wholly original perspective to his writing on design. The insights are always fresh, and the stakes are always extremely high.”

- W. David Marx, author of Ametora: How Japan Saved American Style.

I'm pretty excited about it and I hope you might be, too. Check it out here: https://www.onomatopee.net/product/the-impossibility-of-silence/


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About Ian

Ian Lynam

I'm a creative director in Tokyo, Japan

I'm a graphic designer, design educator, design critic and design writer who has been based in Tokyo for 19 years.

See full profile

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