Julia

Julia by Sandra Newman is a retelling of George Orwell’s 1984, told from the perspective of Julia Worthing. In this version, Julia emerges as an intelligent, observant, and strategic woman, offering a new perspective on Orwell’s dystopian world.

For the cover, I wanted to use the eye, one of the most recognizable symbols associated with 1984 and its culture of surveillance. However, in this retelling, we are not only seeing the story through Julia’s eyes, but also through those of many other women. For this reason, I chose to depict multiple eyes on the cover, suggesting the plurality of female perspectives and experiences within the story.

I also chose linocut printing as the main technique. Its bold, graphic quality and handmade character evoke the visual language and atmosphere of the socialist-era nomenklatura, creating a connection between Orwell’s fictional totalitarian society and the aesthetics of the Eastern European past. The technique therefore became more than a stylistic choice - it helped reinforce the political and historical undertones of the book.