Stephanie Wolff

Norwich, Vermont
www.stephaniewolffstudio.com

The Swiss Cheese Defense
2020
Artist’s book with cut paper text and illustrations
.75 x 3.75 x 3.75

Artist Statement

The Swiss Cheese Defense Statement

This book is my interpretation of The Swiss Cheese Respiratory Virus Defense, an infographic showing the possible protective layers between a virus and a human.

Each page is a layer of defense, including physical distance, test and trace, and vaccines, with the interior covers showing the coronavirus on one side and a human form on the other.  Since any single layer has holes in it, the use of multiple layers offers greater protection.

The infographic is by Australian virologist Ian M. Mackay, built on ideas by James Reason, and used under a CC BY
4.0 license. creativecommons.org. Mackay, Ian M. (2020): The Swiss Cheese Respiratory Virus Defence, figshare.
Figure. http://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13082618.v20

The papers are hand- and machine-cut text and illustrations and have been hand-colored with acrylic ink. All text is set in Futura. The single sheets are bound in a concertina with soft covers and housed in a slipcase with a colophon wrapper and protective chemise. Edition of 3.