Design

"A thoughtful and necessary new book."—Allison Arieff, New York Times

"[Helfand] defines designing not merely as a technical problem-solving exercise but as a way to explore deeply human subjects like compassion, melancholy, solitude and change. Her poetic book, Design: The Invention of Desire, will inspire anyone who wants to understand this elusive creative process."—Michael Bierut, Wall Street Journal

"Jessica Helfand makes the case for design not as a skill or an industry but as an exploration of our humanity. She designs in order to see, and this smart and beautiful book looks inward as well as out."—James Gleick

"In an age marked by speed, impatience, and the giddy pursuit of objects, both actual and virtual, Jessica Helfand’s Invention of Desire demands our attention. In her text she deftly explores the essences rather than surfaces of design, in particular the ethical responsibilities that attend every created thing. Punctuated by beautiful images made from histological samples of tissues, organs, bones, and nerves, this book insists on what is often forgotten: the shared human experience and its meaning for the world of design."—Siri Hustvedt

"Jessica Helfand looks at design as a deeply emotional experience, as a live wire on sensations, as an expression of what it means to be alive. This is truly intelligent writing."—Stefan Sagmeister

"In her extraordinary new paintings, Jessica Helfand finds the sweet spot between scientific certainty and formal abstraction. She invites us to consider the body, the self, and the mesmerizing biological wonders that unite us as a species. This is a remarkable body of work."—Laurie Simmons

"Compassion. Solitude. Memory. These are just a few of the topics explored in Jessica Helfand’s glorious book. Deeply philosophical and humanistic, it is a beautifully articulated meditation of what it means to design and what it means to be alive."—Maira Kalman