Wende Museum's 2015 Taschen Publication Wins

CULVER CITY, Calif., Nov. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Beyond the Wall: Art and Artifacts from the GDR, The Wende Museum's TASCHEN publication, was awarded First Prize in Books by the American Alliance of Museum's 2015 Museum Publications Design Competition.

This encyclopedic volume with more than 900 pages and illustrations of some 1800 objects from the Museum's East German collections will be featured in the November/December issue of Museum, AAM's bi-monthly publication.

The reviews of the book have been extremely positive in the New York Times Book Review, Berliner Zeitung, and Art: Das Kunstmagazin, among many others. As Professor David Welch reported in the New York Times, "This magnificently produced volume offers a substantive contribution…and is an invaluable aid to a deeper understanding of a crucial chapter in Germany's turbulent history." Actor/director/playwright Steve Martin commented that the book "reveals a highly-charged collection of artifacts that can be classified as quirky, human, and curiously emotional." German-born actress Nastassja Kinski noted, "Beyond the Wall captures a world that changed all of us—from the beginning dark days of the Cold War to its jubilant end. The book's pages express the fear, hope, loss, passion and love of people." Chinese artist Ai Weiwei said, "This material history is so rich and well presented. The content and design give you an impressive sense of life in the GDR."

For more than 26 years, the AAM has recognized and encouraged excellence in the graphic design of museum publications. This is the only national juried competition of its kind. Selections are based on excellence in design; creativity; and the expression of a museum' personality, mission or special features. The panel of judges includes graphic designers, museum professionals and publishers.

The Wende Museum was founded by Justinian Jampol in 2002 with a mission to preserve the art, cultural artifacts and personal histories of Cold War-era Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.  The Wende Museum is located at 5741 Buckingham Parkway in Culver City, California.  The Museum is open to the public every Friday from 10am to 5pm or by appointment.  Admission is free.  For more information, call 310-216-1600 or go to www.wendemuseum.org.

Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151119/289614

SOURCE The Wende Museum