Madjem Bambandila: The Art and Country of Kelly Koumalatsos

This was a deeply personal project for Kelly, and the design process was inherently collaborative. In many ways, the project followed what Kelly calls a ‘non-Western’ publishing process.

We began by visiting Kelly’s studio and exploring her extensive archive of artworks, sketchbooks and photography. It was a process of discovery and reflection, and in many ways the book became a meditation on what has been recorded. There is little documentation of Kelly’s early work, and what exists is often low-res or damaged. We made a design decision to lean into these imperfections, as these images record vital aspects of Kelly’s practice and reflect the time in which they were captured.

Kelly is driven to highlight the work of others, which is evident in the many voices featured throughout the book. The book’s form contracted and expanded throughout its development as new contributors were engaged and new imagery was uncovered. The design was required to shift seamlessly to incorporate this gradual flow, folding in each element as it arrived.

As Kelly notes in her introduction, ‘the book is beautifully produced and is a work of art in itself. Every detail was carefully chosen to celebrate and complement my artistic practice.’ The book’s treatment of colour was informed by Kelly’s body of work, with the warm, bright palette reflecting her contemporary vision. A deep respect for Kelly’s work is evident in the design details, from the repeated use of diamond and zigzag motifs (south-eastern patterns that are a feature of Kelly’s work) to the typewritten font that reflects Kelly’s involvement with 80s poetry zines. The cover’s grain embossing mirrors the texture of the paper used for Kelly’s possum prints, and the debossing of the book’s title type echoes the marks made by carving wood and lino – another vital aspect of Kelly’s practice.

The design gently guides the reader through an incredibly diverse collection of visual and textual forms, including personal essays, poetry, critical reflections, archival photography, sketches and Kelly’s extensive body of work. It makes space for contributions in all their varied forms, employing a dynamic layout to accommodate the varied contributions. A consistent colour palette serves as a backdrop to link these disparate elements, while the sectioning out of thematically linked elements allows readers to dip in and out of the book, reading in either a linear or circular way.

The user experience was front of mind when implementing wide margins and choosing a generous point size for the type – both functional design choices that ensure the book’s content can be read with ease and comfort.

The book’s loose-backed binding is another key aspect of ensuring a pleasurable reading experience, as it allows the book to open flat and display artworks across a double-page spread without losing any detail in the centre binding.

The oversized scale of the book ensures the details of Kelly’s work can be shown in the best possible light, while the size and weight of the book also act as a form of recognition – creating a permanent record of Kelly’s artistic practice.

Sustainability was folded into each element of the book’s production, without sacrificing quality. The smooth, heavy paper stock used for the book’s internals allowed for impeccable reproduction of artwork and other imagery, while also being sustainably sourced. We used vegetable inks throughout the book, specially designed for high-efficiency and high-quality printing. We avoided employing any cover finishes that have a negative environmental impact, such as foil or spot UV. Instead, the design created highly effective texture and detail using sustainable finishes such as grain lamination and debossing.

Ever-evolving and organic, this project required agile design solutions and an inherently collaborative publishing process. Collaboration has been integral throughout Kelly’s career, and this book is another example of her generous and community-minded approach to creative projects. This book is a clear example of publishing as a form of curation. Kelly’s deep engagement and involvement with every aspect of the project, and particularly the ways in which the design and content intertwine, have ensured that the book’s final form is a celebration of her artistic autonomy.

The layering and juxtaposition of text and imagery in the book’s design was a feature chosen to reflect Kelly’s unique creative outlook. Speaking with Kelly, it’s clear that every aspect of her practice is linked. You can see threads of her early work flowing through to find new forms of expression in her more recent work, and the astute viewer will be able to make connections with the ways which in Kelly’s work reflects the social, political and cultural shifts present in the world around her. For Kelly, art, identity and ancestry are all linked, and it felt important to show these connections in the book’s design. By layering Kelly’s artwork with photographs of her innovative processes in action, along with the inner machinations evident in her sketchbooks, the interconnection always at play in her practice is highlighted.

The condition of archival imagery required innovative problem solving. Inclusion of photographs as they were – sometimes dog-eared, or heat affected, or low resolution – was key to honouring Kelly’s story. We didn’t drastically change the state of these images, because the non-preserved aspect of these photos, along with the lack of documentation in itself, is emblematic of Kelly’s struggle to be recognised in the early days of her career.

This book makes a significant contribution to the visibility of south-eastern First Peoples’ artistic practices. As one of a very small number of monographs dedicated to a female First Peoples artist from the south-east, this project is unique. It features deeply personal reflections on culture, place and history, while positioning art as a healing form and a lens promote greater understanding.

Kelly’s artistic practice has always been a way of understanding herself, her ancestry and her country. Each artwork is a lens and a mirror, and this book another iteration of this practice. The reader is welcomed to come on a journey of understanding through Kelly’s generous sharing of her art, work and life. Readers are given the opportunity to see the world through Kelly’s eyes, where art is a healer, a connector, a storyteller and a legacy. Kelly provides opportunities for deep understanding of her world and culture, fostering connection and healing.

While the book shines a light on Kelly, she also takes this opportunity to project light onto others in her community. By choosing to co-write the book with Dr Paola Balla and include the voices of a wide range of contributors, Kelly is setting the terms of how her work is discussed. As co-author, Paola is uniquely placed to speak to Kelly’s work with nuance and deep insight.

All profits from books published by Museums Victoria are used to fund the vital ongoing work of this public institution, which is a rich resource for all Victorians. This book makes the art, stories and knowledge of one of Victoria’s key artistic and cultural practitioners broadly accessible to the wider community. Written, illustrated and designed entirely by Victorian creatives, this book is a monument to Victoria’s design culture, and a celebration the enduring creativity of the south-east.