Each year, the Belgrade-based printing company Publikum issues an elaborate art calendar designed in collaboration with a renowned designer. Paula Scher was invited to create the 2007 calendar based on the theme “Gobbledygook.” Scher took the rare opportunity of “accidental illiteracy” to make visual and phonetic comparisons between the Roman and Cyrillic alphabets. The design typographically explores the unfamiliar forms and meanings of the Serbian language and compares and contrasts it to the designer’s native English. This is accomplished through humorous charts, diagrams and wordplay. The calendar is printed in a limited edition of 2,000 and is distributed to clients and friends of the company. In Serbia, the project includes an accompanying book, exhibition, lectures, documentaries and a media campaign.

“Nice energy and great contrast between spreads. Nice series of surprises throughout but it still hangs together as a piece.”