The core premise of the book—which also gives the title Peripheral Histories—is that while much of the art criticism has focused on understanding the periphery in spatial terms that often reinforce perceptions of marginalization, different readings are possible when analyzing how functions and operations govern the technical medium.
The front and inside covers, chapter titles, and certain elements such as page numbers or special graphic inserts are typeset in Monorama, a family of caps-only display fonts designed by Deni Anggara. The letterforms are vaguely reminiscent of old media displays, but their industrial-looking appeal translates the connection between media and industrial processes in the experimental films of the 70s and the early video industry. Monorama’s proportional widths are complemented by a geometric, clean, and versatile sans serif, also designed by Deni Anggara, that is inspired by contemporary art culture and the 20th-century industrial era.
To accompany the standard and digital book editions, a limited collector edition was designed to feature a different cover and additional content. The collector edition comes in a special encasing reminiscent of old video tapes but in a contemporary interpretation.
Two chapters in the book, “1989 / Cameras and Revolution” and “1993 / The Year We Made Video,” analyze the changes brought by electronic communication and the significant changes in the sociopolitical and cultural context. On the one hand, the Romanian Revolution in 1989—a defining moment in television and media history with a media counterpart in the Gulf War—is a symptomatic condition that triggers unique relations to television as media. On the other hand, the 1993 exhibition “Ex Oriente Lux” took place during a time of informational boom and social transition among ex-socialist Eastern countries. Accordingly, the two chapters are distinct graphically and feature elements designed to reinforce the underlying ideas discussed.
