Five Questions with Shirin Neshat

Why did you accept the invitation to design the Spring 2023 edition of All-Story?
As a visual artist who has an attraction to filmmaking and has made three films, I was very drawn to the fact that Zoetrope: All-Story was all about that intersection between art and cinema, and is rare in publishing the work of both artists and filmmakers. Additionally, as I reviewed the past issues, I found it remarkable how each guest designer’s edition was totally unique in vision and design. Last but not least, I loved how the accompanying fiction didn’t distract from the visuals but the art and stories add complementary layers to the book.

Were there any surprises in the design process?
I would say no, there were no surprises.

Any challenges?
We had some challenges in identifying our focus, a vision that was unique in relation to both my work and All Story’s overall approach. Thankfully, together with the magazine team, we were able to arrive at the right place.

Might you offer any advice to future designers?
Accept the invitation! The process of working with the magazine team was easy, and Sfaustina [Francis Coppola’s graphic designer, who does the layout] did a fantastic job and in a rather short period of time. I appreciated that he was so responsive to my ideas.

What’s inspiring you of late?

Visual:
I am watching a lot of futuristic films, like Brazil and Blade Runner, as inspirations for a new project.

Musical:
I’ve been listening to a lot of Persian music from 1970s.

Textual:
I’m reading Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.