Sonya Dyakova (born 1975) is a Russian graphic designer. She runs her own practice in London and is an Art Director at frieze magazine.
Born in Ukraine, she grew up in the city of Novosibirsk, Siberia. After studying at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, California she moved to London where she began her career as a graphic designer. In 2005 she joined Phaidon Press, working closely with art director Alan Fletcher. At Phaidon Dyakova has been responsible for the design of a wide range of books, from contemporary art and design to architecture and photography projects. Specialising in typography, she creates bespoke typefaces, such as Paper Alphabet, which has gathered international recognition and numerous awards. Her approach to book design is strongly rooted in attention to conceptual and tactile details, as well as typographic experimentation developed through extensive research.
Awards include:
Art Directors Club, NY (2006) -- Nobuyoshi Araki: Self, Life, Death
AIGA 50 Books/50 Covers of 2005 (2006) -- Nobuyoshi Araki: Self, Life, Death
Print Magazine Annual Awards (2007) -- Story of Art, Pocket Edition
D&AD pencil nomination (2007) -- Story of Art, Pocket Edition
Art Director's Club (2007) Silver -- Sculpture Today
AIGA 50 Books/50 Covers (2007) -- Sculpture Today
Tokyo Type Directors Club, annual (2008) -- Ice Cream
Type Directors Club, NY (2008) -- Ice Cream and Sculpture Today
Wallpaper Annual Awards (2008) -- Paper Alphabet
AIGA 365 (2008) -- Paper Alphabet
Creative Review Annual (2010) Best in Book -- Younger Than Jesus: Artist Directory
Tokyo Art Director’s Club (2010) -- Younger Than Jesus: Artist Directory
Type Directors Club, NY (2010) -- Painting Today
Grafik Magazine Award (2010) -- Younger Than Jesus: Artist Directory
D&AD in book (2010) -- Younger Than Jesus: Artist Directory
AIGA 50 Books/50 Covers (2010) -- I know how to Cook
Tokyo Type Directors Club, Grand Prix (2010) -- Creamier
Her works at Phaidon Press include the following books:
Nobuyoshi Araki: Self, Life, Death (2005)
Story of Art, Pocket Edition (2006)
Photo Trouvée (2006)
Yesterday's Sandwich, Boris Mikhailov (2006)
Ice Cream (2007)
Sculpture Today (2007)
Terrine by Stéphane Reynaud (2007)
Lewis Carroll (2008)
Younger Than Jesus: Artist Directory (2009)
I Know How to Cook by Ginette Mathiot (2009), illustrated by Blexbolex
Painting Today (2009)
Recipes from an Italian Summer (2010) illustrated by Jeff Fisher
Creamier (2010)
Tuscany (2011), illustrated by Beppe Giacobbe
Her Paper Alphabet, a bespoke typeface designed for a book project Sculpture Today, was displayed at the The Courtauld Institute of Art. Blink, Cut + Repeat: joined show with Victoria Bean, Asli Kal, Sam Messenger, Sam Winston and Ian Wright.
She collaborates with a London-based photographer [1] Edward Park, on projects including [2] Blue Plaques Series and [3] Summerhouse Story.
Publications:
IDEA Magazine, Japan 2001
The Power of Paper in Graphic Design, Rockport Publishers 2002
Creative Review, London 2002
Graphics International, London 2002
Shtab-Kvartira Magazine, Moscow, 2002
The Graphic Book, D&AD, London 2002
D&AD Annual 2007 -- Story of Art, Pocket Edition
Grafik Magazine 2007 -- Story of Art, Pocket Edition, Ice Cream, Yesterday’s Sandwich
Creative Review, December 2007 -- Sculpture Today
Wallpaper Annual Design Awards, February 2008—Best Typeface Award for Paper Alphabet
Grafik Magazine, December 2008 -- Lewis Carroll
Grafik Magazine, July 2009 -- Younger Than Jesus: Artist Directory
Art Directing Projects for Print, RotoVision, Fall 2009
