Esquire Magazine invited us to create the opening page for an article titled "The Life of Man" to commemorate the magazine’s 80th anniversary. What started out as an image on paper turned out to be a typographic sculpture. The type was embossed on a concrete slab measuring approximately 120×170 cm (3.11×5.7 ft), and weighing more than 400 kilos (880 pounds). This choice of material and scale, as well as the laborious design process it entailed, served as a metaphor for the magazine’s epic milestone.

The choice of cement fell on its significance — a non ephemeral and tough material — in representation of the eight decades of Esquire Magazine. The very composition of the title is full of significance: white space above and between letters represent future; the placing symbolizes foundation; and the vertical reading represents growth.

The article features an image of the sculpture, while a version for the iPad shows the sculpture filmed from various camera angles. The video of the entire process is featured on Esquire TV.

The Life of Man is a photo gallery by Mark Mann featuring 80 prominent Americans, including Bill Clinton, Bill Murray, Andre Agassi, Sugar Ray Leonard, Michael Douglas and Stephen King.