Jean Michel Basquiat's 'The Notebooks' is a thick smaller scale book, in keeping with the dimensions of a usual notebook. The paper stock is thin however not quite as thin as you'd have in a notebook I imagine to avoid looking too much like someone has actually just written onto the pages as the text is all hand written; likewise the cover is hardback to emphasise this being a publication of someone's notes as opposed to an actual notebook misplaced in a library.
The pages are also glossy perhaps as acting as more of a memorabilia paying homage and glorifying the simplistic doodles and thoughts of Basquiat, rather than having them thin, easily tearable and able to be added to.
In terms of audience it would mainly be aimed towards those who are lovers of Basquiat as the book itself is quite niche, with many pages left blank or only with a few scribbled words down, it means the audience would have to also be interested in the human condition, as many of the writing pieces are random ideas and fantasies like cat's jumping out with guns, alongside his personal analysis of social situations and his commentary of seemingly insignificant things he sees, which could be tiresome to audiences who are younger, not artistic or need to be stimulated by a story.
If I were to change the book I'd bind it like an actual notebook, not with ring binders but the way it already is but without the gloss so it looks more authentic and so throughout time it will eventually get worn, more like an actual notebook and more in keeping with Basquiat's overall approach to his work, who produces purposely messy pieces, collages being his forte which I really appreciate on the cover over the top of the normal notebook cover, but feel it would be made even better if the image was actually screen printed onto the back cover, and real tape stuck over the front. However as this book has been mass produced I understand this would be a cost issue, but I quite like the idea of each copy being slightly personalised.
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