The Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art at the College of Charleston School of the Arts recently received major awards for publications they produced in conjunction with two 2012 exhibitions.

The Aggie Zed: Keeper’s Keep exhibition catalogue won the American Alliance of Museums’ First Prize in Exhibition Catalogues produced by museums with an annual budget of less than $750,000 and was one of the 50 books selected as a winner in Design Observer’s 50 Books/50 Covers competition. The Return to the Sea: Saltworks by Motoi Yamamoto exhibition catalogue won the American Alliance of Museums’ Second Prize in Books produced by museums with an annual budget of less than $750,000.
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The Return to the Sea exhibition catalogue also won Communication Arts’ 2013 Design Annual in the category for Catalogues.

“We work hard to create meaningful and beautiful catalogues, “ say Mark Sloan, Director and Senior Curator of the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art. “ It is so important to document these artist’s work in this way, as books and catalogues have a much longer life than a single exhibition.  We have several more significant publications in the works, so this just adds fuel to our efforts.”

The annual American Alliance of Museums’ Museum Publications Design Competition recognizes excellence in the graphic design of museum publications and is the only national, juried competition of its kind.

According to AAM, “Winners are chosen for their overall design excellence, creativity and ability to express an institution’s personality, mission, or special features.”

Return to the Sea has also been selected by the 2013 Communication Arts jury to appear in Design Annual 54, the September/October issue of Communication Arts.

Both catalogues were designed by Gil Shuler Graphic Design, and edited by Mark Sloan.