365: AIGA Year in Design 21

365 is the American Institute of Graphic Art's annual presentation of the best in American design, and features cutting-edge projects selected by a jury of pre-eminent designers and design specialists in the organization's Communication Graphics 21 and 50 Books/50 Covers of 1999 competitions. Communication Graphics is the premier design competition in the US, open to any and every form of graphic work, from traditional print and packaging to the most recent and innovative interactive technologies. 50 Books/50 Covers has recognized excellence in book design and production since 1923, and its entries include books and book covers ranging from trade, reference, and juvenile books to museum publications, encompassing standard as well as limited edition and special format books. Conceived by AIGA in conjunction with renowned San Francisco-based designer Jennifer Sterling, 365 serves up essays that contextualize the ever-changing shape of contemporary graphic design, including a text that critiques the New Minimalism movement for its conflation of consumerism and spirituality, and a defense of the printed book in the face of the ''post-literate'' Digital Age. In addition, AIGA's 2000 Gold Medallists--Scott and Laurie Makela, Michael Vanderbyl, and Fred Seibert--are profiled in insightful biographical essays and retrospective portfolios. This year's stunning plastic-encased volume is sure to become a design object collector's item.