‘The Deep’ is a circular accordion-bound pop-up book which unfolds to an oversized three-dimensional eight-point compass rose, with another sixteen-point compass rose at its centre. The compass points are alternately coloured blue and green, with a cream circular band separating the two roses. When in compact form, ‘The Deep’ fits into its container, a box of trapezoid shape.

The artist Kevin Steele describes ‘The Deep’ as ‘a tribute to maritime folklore and tradition developed over centuries of nautical exploration’. The different points of the compasses are divided into themes, each covered in print text and images relating folklore and the sea and accompanied by illustrations. For instance, ‘Denizens of the Deep’ considers real and mythological sea creatures, such as sharks, krakens, and mermaids; ‘The Perilous Sea’ reveals tragic fates and dangerous passages of seamen, and ‘Practices and Traditions’ considers the rituals associated with life below deck. In addition to its typographic content, the compass shape of The Deep also has a strong relevance to the meaning of the work. As the artist states: ‘the compass, arguably the sailor’s most valuable instrument, not only enables accurate navigation but brings good luck, ensuring safe passage home and protecting against a watery end in the Deep.’

‘The Deep’ was first designed and constructed in spring 2012 by Kevin Steele for his Graphic Design Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition at the Henry Radford Hope School of Fine Arts at Indiana University, where he is an Adjunct Professor.