For my next shelved book, Torah Queeries for NYU Press. My very kind Art Director tried his best to get these through, but in the end sometimes a conceptual cover is not what is wanted or I supposed needed. I'd like to think otherwise, but having an editor for a husband, I understand the rationale.
From Amazon: "This incredibly rich collection unites the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and straight-allied writers, including some of the most central figures in contemporary American Judaism. All bring to the table unique methods of reading and interpreting that allow the Torah to speak to modern concerns of sexuality, identity, gender, and LGBT life."
I have to admit, I struggled with this one for a while until the idea of the pink triangle forming a Jewish Star came to me. Once it did, I wondered what took me so long.
However, in the end the feedback was that the pink triangle was too much of a reminder of the Holocaust (the patches worn by Jews on clothing). I never thought of this interpretation myself, instead only thinking of the gay pride icon and also thinking that paired with the "queeries" in the title the connection made sense. It's a good reminder to consider all meanings in your designs. The final cover (which I did not design) is on Amazon.
5 comments:
That's actually where the pink Pride triangle comes from - the Nazis made homosexuals wear a pink triangle, Jews wear a yellow triangle, the Roma wear a (blue or green?) triangle, disabled folks had another type, and I think prisoners of war and Polish prisoners also had a triangle as well.
Too bad, I like your covers best.
thanks for commenting...
I was aware of the triangles worn, but was thinking more about how the symbol was used today. I didn't take into consideration different age groups and how they would interpret it...
I think it's such a shame that one of these wasn't used. They do so stand out. I really don't get why they didn't use one (my favorite is the top). Editorial explanation or no, I just don't get it.
I love your 1st two and the third one would stand out on book shelves infinitely more than the one they went with.
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