People go around all the time judging books by their covers, but now Dutch artist Thijs Biersteker has created the first book cover that judges you. The book happens to be the Art Directors Club annual, but before you can view all those beautiful ads, you have to prove that you're not the judgmental sort.
That's right, he created a book that creative directors can't open. Kidding! Sort of. You have to align your face with the robotic-looking cutout on the cover of the book, and it takes a snapshot and sends it through some software to determine if you're looking scowly or not. If it thinks you're not in the optimal emotional state for viewing the work, the screen will blink red, and the book won't open. Sport an appropriately neutral expression, and you'll get a greenlight that pops the metal lock.
Biersteker worked with design studio Moore to create the cover. "With an overflowing stream of beautiful things coming at you through the web on a daily basis, the art of being open for amazement and wonderment is hard to maintain," he says. Which is a very nice way of saying that a lot of us cynics just go around with resting bitch face all the time.
Via Wired.