Paul Englmeier   Portfolio

       

Freundchen!

2024, Bachelor Project
www.freundchen-press.de

The project won one two Funkenwerk Awards, btw! 🙏

Art faces many preconceptions. These range from 'art is snobby' and 'art is expensive' to 'I don't understand art' and 'art is not for me'. I believe that the art industry itself is largely responsible for perpetuating these clichés. Many people feel overwhelmed or even intimidated by art, which I think is a great pity. After all, art can accomplish so much. It holds a mirror up to us, opens up new perspectives, makes us laugh and makes us think. In short, art is important, especially during times of crisis like the ones we are experiencing today. So, how can we get as many people as possible interested in art, regardless of their income, education, or social class?
My bachelor's thesis addressed precisely this question. My approach was inspired by two very different publication formats. One is the zine, a product of and for a subculture. While it is artistically exciting and diverse, unfortunately many people outside the art and design community don't have access to it. On the other hand, there is the Pixi book, a classic German children's book. Measuring 10x10 cm, they are simply bound and sell for 99 cents each. Their simplicity and unique presentation in a bowl have made them famous throughout Germany, not just among children. So what if these two publication formats were combined? No-frills production and design, accessible presented artists' books at a reasonable price. Well, that's exactly what Freundchen! is.Freundchen! have a format of 11 by 11 cm and can be between 12 and 24 pages long. They are staple-bound and made of uncoated paper. What happens between these specifications is up to the artists invited. 

They are being sold in a statue I designed, which is intended to deter anyone for whom Freundchen! is not intended. 

Find a selection of covers below
IOOA: Pauline Rebollo, Zoe Dejori, Paul Gebauer, Paul Englmeier, Olivia Yakaboylu, Martijn in’t Veld, Laura Dabrowski, Paul Bräuer, Nina Schuh, Anian Huber, Jaron Schabert, Laura Jungfer, Alina Cucu

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🍄 Last updated in 🍄
  June 2026