Iconic Body of Work hits world stage

Australia's ArmstrongQ teams up with UK-based Copernicus International Consultancy to launch its multi- award winning photographic collection into the global market.
According to creative director Bob Armstrong, the printed work is not a book or magazine, but a collection of photos. “Specifically designed for the northern hemisphere, it has great appeal for release into the US, India, Asia and Europe, particularity Eastern Europe.

“From the outset the goal was to produce something without compromise, in other words price didn’t enter the equation. We set the bar high and went from there,” he says.

The first three Body of Work collections are due to launch this Christmas with a premium price tag. To achieve the ambitious goal of producing a book that will be the best-of-its kind in the world, seven development issues were created over a period of five years.

“We submitted the issues into every award known to man, from design to photo and print. Not to win the awards but in order to solicit feedback and refine the product, a by-product was that we won 65 awards over five years.

“When we got to that stage we felt we had a product ready to be exported overseas. It’s unusual for such Australian print to be exported. This can only be produced in locally because of the techniques employed, and all print finishing effects were taken in consideration when we took the photos,” he says.

Now ready for the commercial international market the case covered books will feature sculpture-embossed dust jackets. The company is now hoping to get an extension to submit these three books into the NSW PICA awards this year, and will probably submit them into the next Bennies.

Ian Sellman, operations director for Copernicus, compares the printed products to fine art. "In my extensive experience in this field I have never seen a Collection to match the imagination, artistry and technical presentation of Body of Work.”